Shooting Stars
by McMousie
Summary: Hiei works as an assassin for an unscrupulous organisation known as the Syndicate. His newest target is most unusual: a redheaded university student.
1. Chapter 1

Hiei scowled as he prowled through the upscale apartment, systematically checking each room. The apartment was in a high-rise building in an affluent suburb and probably cost more a week than Hiei's entire salary for three months. And his salary was quite generous.

Expensive looking paintings hung in the hall and the rooms were richly furnished. During his search, Hiei found that the apartment had three bathrooms. Hiei knew that this apartment was home to only one occupant. Why did he need three bathrooms? What a ridiculous waste of money.

Hiei was entering the kitchen when he felt something brush against his pants leg. He quickly spun and pressed his back to the nearest wall, gun raised as he scanned his immediate surroundings. There was no one there.

A soft meow made Hiei look down. An ugly hairless cat gazed up at him with clear blue eyes. It sat on the tiled floor, it's posture prim and proud, as if it were a monarch surveying its' subjects. Around it's pale neck was a gold collar. It's wrinkled little face and large eyes reminded Hiei of those Roswell aliens.

"Fuck," he muttered, furious with himself for being so jumpy. He glared down at the cat, his crimson eyes blazing with irritation.

"Get lost," he told it. It didn't move. "Shoo," Hiei tried, waving his hands at the creature, gun still clutched in his right hand. The cat stood and began to rub itself against his leg, purring. Hiei groaned and tried to nudge the little beast away with his boot. He'd never been fond of animals.

The faint sound of a key being turned in a lock made Hiei freeze. Mentally, he cursed himself again. The guy was early. Fifteen minutes early. Shit. Shit. Shit.

The cat darted towards the door as it opened and the apartment's occupant stepped in. Hiei kept himself out of sight behind the kitchen door, praying that the man wouldn't enter the kitchen and see him. Just in case, he held his gun at the ready, his ears straining for every small sound. He kept his breaths even and quiet.

"Hello, sweetheart. Who's a good girl? Who's a pretty girl?" the man cooed, presumably to the cat.

Pretty? Was this man delusional? That thing wasn't pretty. That thing was hideous, Hiei thought. The sound of footsteps coming towards Hiei made him tense. But the footsteps continued past the half-open kitchen door and into the living room. Now was the perfect time to make his move.

Hiei tucked his gun into the waistband of his pants before he stepped out into the hall, making sure to tread lightly. The man's suit-clad back loomed in front of him. Hiei approached him quickly and hooked one arm around his pudgy neck, squeezing hard.

The man struggled, trying to kick Hiei. Hiei's stance was firm and his weight balanced. He didn't budge. Weak, choked sounds came from the man's mouth. His fingers scrabbled at Hiei's cloth-covered arm, trying in vain to free himself. His nails dug into Hiei's flesh through his shirt, but Hiei did not let up the pressure. Geez, why did his nails have to be so long?

A mere three years ago Hiei would have not been able to do this. His short stature made it impossible for him to overpower someone larger than himself in this manner. Recently he'd had a growth spurt and was now taller than most people of Japanese descent. It ultimately made his job easier, though it had taken some getting used to.

The man finally fell silent and still, sagging in Hiei's grip. Hiei waited several seconds, just in case the man was faking unconsciousness, before releasing his captive. The man collapsed to the floor, a dead weight. Hiei massaged his aching arm as he observed the figure at his feet.

He was a portly man dressed in a black business suit. His hair was black and close-cropped. Drool slid down his chin. Hiei noted the expensive looking watch on his wrist but made no move to take it. He wasn't an idiot. Those things were too easy to trace.

He dragged the man into the living room and lifted him into the armchair. It put a strain on Hiei's arms and back as his victim was not light by any means.

Hiei stepped back when he was done, observing his work. The man was slumped in the chair, one arm hanging over the armrest. His head drooped limply to the side, resting on his shoulder.

"Meow."

Hiei looked down to see the hideous alien cat sitting beside him, observing her owner in an odd parallel to Hiei. Hiei wondered what was going through the cat's mind, then brushed the thought away. It was an irrelevant distraction and one he couldn't afford to indulge right now.

Hiei dug around under his jacket and retrieved two strips of cloth. He used one to tie the man's hands in front of him. After that he knelt and did the same to his ankles. Then he gagged the man.

Almost done, Hiei thought with relief. He took several steps back, then glanced down at the cat, who hadn't moved. Sighing, he picked up the cat and walked into one of the bedrooms. He'd noticed a cat carrier in there earlier, while he'd been scoping out the apartment.

The feline took one look at the cat carrier and hissed angrily at Hiei. She wriggled in his grip, trying vainly to free herself. Hiei mercilessly stuffed the furious creature into the carrier and took it into the hall. He set it down by the front door and returned to the living room. Indignant yowling followed him.

His victim hadn't shifted in the chair, still out cold. Hiei stood about a meter away from him and raised his hand. He concentrated on the palm of his hand. For a moment, nothing happened. The only sound was the offended mewling of the cat in the carrier.

Then Hiei felt a warm tingle run up his arm and into his hand. His hand began to glow faintly red. And then flame gushed out, hitting the man in the face and chest. The man's body jerked as he awoke and tried to move. Muffled screams could barely be heard coming from his mouth. Orange flame continued to flow from Hiei's hand, quickly engulfing the man and the chair he sat in.

Hiei savoured the power surging through him. It was hot and raw and exhilarating. He felt in this moment as though he were capable of doing anything, like those superheroes he'd read about in comic books. His physical body had no limitations.

But he was no hero, he knew.

Hiei stopped the flow when the man's body no longer twitched. He stood there, his crimson eyes reflecting the glow of the flames as they continued to burn. Sparks flew, causing small spot fires to flare up as they found fuel. The smell of acrid burning flesh hit Hiei's nose. It was a scent that he was all too familiar with. It had ceased to bother him.

The shrill sound of the smoke alarm woke Hiei from his trance, making him wince. Time to go. He walked out of the room and picked up the cat carrier from the floor before exiting the apartment, closing the door firmly behind him. Even if someone rushed in there right now, it was too late to save the man. Hiei was certain that he was already dead.

He wasn't even particularly sorry that he'd been the instrument of the man's demise. Hiei didn't know him. He was a complete stranger. For Hiei, this was just a job. If the man hadn't wanted to die, then he probably shouldn't have pissed off Hiei's employers.

Hiei walked down the hall with the cat carrier. It's small occupant was screeching with a volume that rivalled the fire alarm. Hiei didn't encounter anyone else until he entered the stairwell. Below him, a steady stream of people snaked their way down to the ground floor. Their voices echoed in the cramped space. Hiei trailed them down.

When he exited the building, he took a deep breath of clean air. Well, clean compared to where he'd been, anyway. He was sure that Tokyo's air could never be called 'clean'. He set the cat carrier down on the pavement and released its prisoner. The cat never even spared him a glance before she bolted away, streaking down the sidewalk as if being chased by a nightmare. How ungrateful.

Hiei left the empty cat carrier on the sidewalk as he strode down the street, dark coat fluttering behind him. Perhaps that was what he was. An unnatural creature born of unholy methods. A nightmare. Humanity's nightmare.

-0-

Hiei glared at the short grey-haired doctor as he stuck a sharp needle into his arm. He couldn't help but wince at the sting.

"Almost done," Doctor Ichigaki said cheerfully as the syringe began to fill with thick red liquid. When he pulled the needle out and placed a white cotton ball against it, Hiei automatically reached up to press it into the small cut with one finger. The doctor turned away to cap the syringe. Then he turned back to Hiei. Hiei removed his finger from the cotton ball as the short, wrinkled grey-haired doctor taped it down.

"Show me your other arm," Ichigaki instructed.

"Is that necessary?" Hiei demanded. "It's the same as before."

"I'll be the judge of that," Ichigaki snapped at him.

Hiei sighed and began to roll up his sleeve. He didn't want to look at it but his eyes were drawn to it nonetheless, as were Ichigaki's. Hiei was certain that the little troll was practically salivating. Bastard.

Hiei's arm was streaked with inky black lines. To the uninitiated, it would look very much like a tattoo. But Hiei had never gotten a tattoo. The black marks had appeared on his wrist shortly after the implantation of his jagan eye and had spread slowly up his arm.

Hiei didn't want to admit it but the marks scared him. Even Doctor Ichigaki didn't know what they were. All he had revealed to Hiei was that he suspected they were linked somehow to the jagan eye, as they seemed to spread every time Hiei used his third eye. For that reason, Hiei used the jagan sparingly.

Ichigaki's fingers ran up Hiei's arm, tracing one of the longer marks. Hiei shivered as the man's touch left goosebumps on his skin.

"Hmmm…" Ichigaki said thoughtfully.

"Are you done?" Hiei barked. "Just sign the damn paper and let me out of here."

"Patience, young man. Patience," Ichigaki scolded him. He picked up a small polaroid camera from his table of tools and took several photos of Hiei's arm. Hiei glared balefully at him the entire time.

He knew that these checkups were necessary but he hated them all the same. They were uncomfortable and invasive.

Ichigaki set the camera back down and Hiei rolled the sleeve of his black shirt down, hiding the black stains on his skin.

"Were there any problems with your abilities?" Ichigaki asked. He picked up his notepad and began writing on it as Hiei answered.

"No," he said shortly.

"No pain?" Ichigaki inquired, glancing briefly up at Hiei's face before returning his attention to his notes.

"No," Hiei snapped.

"Good, good." Ichigaki said distractedly.

"Can I go?" Hiei demanded.

Ichigaki looked up at him, meeting Hiei's crimson glare with no sign of being intimidated.

"Of course," he said. "But please come back if you experience anything unusual or - "

Hiei was out of the room before Ichigaki could even finish his sentence, the door swinging shut behind him with a loud bang.

He stood in the stark white hall outside the examination room and breathed a sigh of relief. The antiseptic smell of the room lingered in the air around him, even though the door was shut. He despised that smell. It brought back so many horrific memories.

Hiei strode down the hall, ignoring the doors he passed. Some were open, casting rectangles of bright light into the hall. Faint voices floated into his ears. Hiei didn't look inside the rooms. He was not at all curious about what they contained. His nightmares were black enough as it was. He didn't need to be privy to someone else's nightmares as well.

He entered the elevator and tapped a number on the pad. It began to rise, the ride smooth and quiet. Hiei tapped his foot impatiently. Three floors up the doors slid open and Hiei entered another white hall. This one was carpeted and there was no trace of the antiseptic smell that had permeated the lower floor of the building.

Hiei passed several people in business suits as he made his way down the hall but none of them acknowledged him. Some did give him curious glances though. Hiei knew that he looked out-of-place in this part of the building. Unlike the people he was passing, he was not wearing a suit. He was wearing a long-sleeved black t-shirt and dark jeans. His hair was spiked up and had a white starburst in it. A bandana kept his hair from flopping into his eyes. He looked like a street punk, not a salary man.

Hiei stopped in front of a closed door and entered without knocking. The man sitting behind the large desk raised his head and frowned at him.

"Knock next time," he said by way of greeting.

Hiei sat down in one of the chairs in front of the desk and placed his boots on the surface, crossing his legs at the ankles. The frown on the other man's aristocratic face deepened.

"When do I get my money?" Hiei asked flatly.

"It has already been transferred to your bank account," his boss, Yomi informed him. "You handled that job well," he admitted, his tone grudging. "I wish all of our employees were so efficient."

"What now?" Hiei asked.

"I have another assignment for you," Yomi told him, sliding a folder over to him. Hiei picked it up curiously, his fingers tracing the raised dots on the bottom corner of the folder. He knew that those dots meant something to Yomi but they were indecipherable to Hiei. He was a little disappointed at not being granted any time off but he supposed it wasn't like he had any pressing plans. He began to look through the pages.

"Wait," he said, pausing and looking back up at Yomi.

"Hmm?" the dark haired man asked. He wore sunglasses, despite the fact that they were indoors. For anyone else, it would have been considered rude, but Yomi was blind, as Hiei was well aware. He wasn't sure if Yomi hid his eyes to protect them from bright light or if he hid them to spare others from seeing the damage, but Hiei didn't care enough to ask. He stared into the shiny black surface of the glasses, seeing his own face faintly reflected there.

"This is an abduction contract," he complained. "That's not what I do."

"I understand that," Yomi said, steepling his fingers. "But this is a very important matter and I need someone who is trustworthy to handle it."

Hiei regarded the sharp-faced man with a frown, then looked back down at the papers in his lap.

"I suppose I can do it," he finally said. How hard could it be?

"Excellent," Yomi said, pleased. "I knew I could count on you, Hiei. You have never let me down."

Hiei thought he was laying it on a bit thick but chose not to say anything. He didn't do his job out of any sense of loyalty to Yomi or the company he worked for, the shadowy organisation known only as the Syndicate. He did it because it was a matter of survival. The Syndicate had raised him and he had no idea what he would do without their support. One could even say that they had created him.

"I'll get back to you when it's done, like usual," Hiei told Yomi. He stood up and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him. He held the file tucked under his arm as he walked.

Minamino Shuichi. Who was he and what had he done to come to the attention of the Syndicate? Whoever he was, Hiei mused, he was certainly an unlucky bastard.


	2. Chapter 2

Hiei sat at his dining room table with his laptop before him and the papers that had been contained in the file he'd been given by his boss spread out haphazardly across the surface. On the screen in front of him, the pretty face of a young man stared back at him. He had long red hair and green eyes. Both unusual features in this country but not enough to explain the Syndicate's interest in a seemingly normal university student.

And he was normal. Exceptionally bright, but normal in every other way. He grew up with a single mother, attended an exclusive private school on a scholarship, got top marks, and was currently attending Meiou University studying business.

He had no accounts on any social media sites. The only information Hiei had been able to find on him was related to his school achievements. The folder Yomi had given Hiei had been a little more informative, but it was obvious that the Syndicate had not been able to get an operative close to Minamino.

At least, not yet. Hiei supposed that was where he came in.

Hiei let out a tired sigh and rubbed his eyes. He reached for his coffee cup only to find that it was empty. He set it back down with a disappointed huff. His eyes strayed back to the photo of Minamino Shuichi on the screen. Why did the Syndicate want him? What was so special about him?

Hiei didn't know why the question was bothering him so much. Maybe it was because Minamino was so close to his own age. Maybe it was because he'd never had an abduction job before and was confused as to why he'd been assigned it in the first place. Maybe it was how completely ordinary this guy was.

And maybe he was a little envious. Okay, Minamino had grown up without a father, but he had a mother. That was something that Hiei had never known. His only family was his twin sister and she had died two years after they'd been adopted by the Syndicate. Minamino had the opportunity to attend a normal school, make normal friends, go to university and, one day, get a normal job. A job that didn't require him to constantly watch his back.

Hiei closed the lid of his laptop and gathered the papers into a disorganised pile, shoving them back into the folder. He felt strongly as if he were missing something in this situation. Something vitally important.

Minamino was too young. All of Hiei's previous targets had been wealthy middle-aged men, with the occasional woman thrown in for variety. He'd never been asked to abduct or kill a university student before.

But he wasn't paid to question his assignments. He was paid to get them done. And he would get this one done as well, even if it didn't sit right with him.

Hiei left the laptop sitting on the table and went to tuck the folder into his hiding place, behind a large photo frame in the hall. He didn't like leaving such things laying around where someone could find them. Not that he ever had visitors in his apartment. But Hiei didn't like to take chances. That was why he led such a solitary life. Why he shied away from attachments. That sort of carelessness was what got operatives like Hiei killed.

Tomorrow Hiei would go to the university and observe Minamino. With any luck, he would be able to expand on the scant information that he already had. Once he learned Minamino's routine, he could formulate a plan on how to best deal with him.

-0-

The university Minamino attended was actually not far from where Hiei lived. It catered to either very intelligent, or very wealthy people and had an excellent reputation. Minamino was of the former, his high intellect earning him a place among the elite. He had a scholarship that helped offset his costs. His mother was not poor, by any means, but raising a child on one salary had required sacrifices. Minamino would never have been able to afford the full tuition on his own.

It occurred to Hiei that Minamino had led quite a charmed life so far. Except for the loss of his father, which he must have been too young at the time to remember, he had everything. Blessed with both good looks and intelligence, he seemed to have the world at his feet.

The campus of the university was beautiful and well-tended. Neatly-trimmed hedges lined the paths and there was not a weed in sight.

Infiltrating the university was actually quite easy. All Hiei had to do was dress to blend in. None of the students or faculty gave him a second look. He had found Minamino on his first day as he was leaving one of his classes. With his blood red hair he stood out in the crowd of his dark haired peers.

Hiei was careful not to approach him or follow him too closely. Sometimes he would even split off from Minamino and wander the campus for a while, just to allay any suspicions.

Hiei discovered that Minamino was a popular student but didn't seem to have any close friends. He was often approached by other students, most asking for notes or tutoring.

But, Hiei saw with amusement, some of them handed Minamino what he assumed to be love notes or small presents. Minamino usually politely refused them, or, in the case of the letters, took the earliest opportunity to throw them into the trash. Hiei found that behaviour odd, as Minamino seemed to go out of his way to be polite in his refusals. To just throw the letters away without even reading them was quite callous.

Though, if Hiei were in his position, he would have done exactly the same thing, and he would not have been half as polite to the students' faces as Minamino was.

What Hiei found very surprising was that it wasn't only young women handing Minamino these presents and love letters. Many of Minamino's admirers were male. Minamino seemed to take these encounters in stride but Hiei wondered if he'd always handled them so cooly. Or was he just so used to them now that they ceased to be awkward or embarrassing?

On the third day Hiei trailed Minamino's slender form through the university's halls as he left his last class for the day, his books tucked under his arm.

Hiei turned a corner when he abruptly bumped into someone. He stumbled but his quick reflexes saved him from falling. He steadied himself by putting a hand against the wall.

"Who are you?"

Hiei gulped as he looked into the suspicious forest green eyes of the person he'd bumped into. For a moment he was speechless.

"Who are you?" Minamino repeated, a hard edge lacing his voice. His eyes held Hiei's, cold and uncompromising. Hiei had to look slightly down to meet them, as Minamino was standing very close to him and was just a little shorter than he was.

"I, ah, I…" Hiei couldn't believe how stupid he'd been. He must have fucked up somewhere for his target to have noticed him. And he was so certain he'd been inconspicuous. Apparently not.

"It is very rude to follow someone around," Minamino said. He was holding his books against his chest, as if he were using them as a shield, a barrier between himself and his stalker.

"I'm sorry, I…" Hiei trailed off again. His mind raced like a mouse running on an exercise wheel, desperately searching for an explanation that might allay the redheaded student's suspicions. And, like the mouse, he was getting nowhere. At the same time he chastised himself for not planning for this possibility before it became an issue.

Perhaps it was arrogance that had led him to believe that he could not have been discovered by his target. Perhaps he wasn't as good at trailing people as he thought he was.

It was too late to worry about that now. What was done, was done. Whatever error he had made couldn't be corrected now. He would have to deal with the consequences as best he could.

Minamino's lips thinned. "Allow me to save you some time," he said coolly. "I am afraid that I do not have time to date anyone." He stepped back from Hiei. "I have to go."

Wait, what? Hiei blinked in surprise at Minamino as he turned on his heel and started to walk down the hall.

"Wait!" Hiei called after him.

Minamino stopped and turned back, a frown on his face. "I really must go," he said stiffly. "I am meeting one of my professors."

"I, ah, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable," Hiei said. He wasn't sure if he was entirely happy with the idea of playing along with Minamino's erroneous assumption but it did provide him with a convenient excuse for his behaviour.

"I am not upset," Minamino said quietly. "I am rather accustomed to it, as a matter of fact. But that does not mean that I enjoy it. I would prefer that you make your intentions clear from the beginning."

Hiei winced. He felt a little bad for Minamino. It seemed he didn't appreciate his popularity. Or, at least, he didn't appreciate the love letters and presents that came with it.

"I am sorry," Hiei said again. He shifted awkwardly from foot to foot. He'd never been in a situation like this before and didn't really know what to say.

His apology seemed to have cooled Minamino's temper though. His expression was now thoughtful as he regarded Hiei. Hiei wished he could read the young man's mind. This would go so much better if he knew what the redhead was thinking.

"In the future, please be more direct," Minamino told him. "It would save both of us a lot of time and trouble."

"Ah, yeah… So… you really don't have the time to date?" Hiei asked. Immediately he wished that he could take the words back. What a ridiculous question. He couldn't believe he'd even asked it.

But he was actually genuinely curious about the answer. Was Minamino simply uninterested in dating, or was it a conscious choice that he had made to devote his time entirely to his schoolwork? Were his classes that taxing?

"I truly do not have time to enter into a relationship with anyone. Nor the inclination, if I am being honest," Minamino informed him. "My studies occupy most of my time. Now, if you will please excuse me…" He turned around again and this time Hiei let him go. He stood in the hall, watching his retreating back. Minamino's steps were purposeful and his back was ramrod straight, his shoulders squared beneath his shirt.

Well, that was very unexpected. Would it make his job easier or harder? Hiei wasn't sure of the answer.


	3. Chapter 3

When Hiei began trailing Minamino outside of the university, he was extra careful to avoid the notice of the redhead. If Minamino caught him lurking around corners again he would probably call the police and get a restraining order. That would make things very awkward indeed.

Hiei was interested to see what Minamino did on the weekends. It turned out that he spent most of his time with his mother. Right now, he was accompanying her on a shopping trip to the local market. Hiei was standing several feet behind them, pretending to look over a stall selling cheap trinkets while watching the pair out of the corner of his eye.

Minamino's mother was a typical Japanese woman. She had long dark hair and a sweet smile which she often bestowed on her son. Minamino, for his part, was a doting son, constantly at her side, offering to carry her bags or chiding her for not resting enough.

Actually, Hiei felt that Minamino was going a little overboard. Surely she didn't need to rest so often. Unless she was unwell?

Hiei turned his attention back to the trinkets as something flashed in the corner of his vision. He caught sight of a small gemstone hanging from a golden chain that he hadn't noticed during his first perusal of the stall's wares. It looked like a pendant that his sister used to wear. Apparently it had been a gift from their mother. It had been passed to Hiei upon her death and he kept it tucked away in a drawer in his apartment. He didn't want to wear it in case he lost it. It was all he had left of his sister. He reached out to take hold of the gem, turning it around in his fingers. The surface was smooth and glassy, reflecting the sunlight. Now that he was looking closely at it, Hiei could see that the shade of the stone was darker than his sister's was.

A small, feminine scream made Hiei's head whip around as he let the pendant drop from his fingers. He was just in time to see a man darting away from Minamino's mother, a handbag clutched in his grip. A handbag that Hiei was certain belonged to the dark haired woman. Minamino held his mother's arm tightly as she clung to him.

Hiei took off after the man who'd taken the purse. The thief was fast but Hiei was faster. He shouldered his way roughly through the crowd until he managed to grab the back of the man's collar, jerking him off his feet. The man sprawled on the pavement, the bag flying from his grip. Hiei scooped it up quickly, before anyone else could take advantage of the situation and get it.

The thief shot to his feet faster than Hiei would have thought possible. He must have been some kind of gymnast, Hiei surmised, to have such excellent reflexes. He saw that Hiei now held the purse and turned and bolted though the crowd.

Hiei briefly considered going after him but then figured there was no point. He had what he wanted, after all. He turned and walked back to the Minaminos.

Minamino was still trying to comfort his mother. She was sitting on a bench and he was rubbing her shoulder.

Hiei cleared his throat and both of them looked up at him. Their eyes widened in surprise. Hiei held up the handbag.

"This is yours, isn't it?" he asked the woman.

She reached for it, a relieved smile spreading across her face. "Oh, thank you," she said. "Thank you so much."

Unlike his mother, Minamino was not smiling. Instead, he was frowning at Hiei.

"Quite a coincidence," he said stiffly. "Meeting you here."

The woman looked between the two of them, her happiness shifting to confusion. "Do you know this young man, Shuichi?" she asked her son.

"He attends the university, Mother," Minamino informed her.

"That's lovely," she said, smiling again. Hiei felt uneasy to have that smile directed at him. He suddenly wanted nothing more than to leave.

"Shuichi never lets me meet any of his friends," the mother continued, oblivious to any discomfort on the part of either of the young men.

Probably because he doesn't have any friends, Hiei thought.

"Excuse us one moment, please, Mother," Minamino said. He gave Hiei a significant look and began to move away from his mother. Hiei followed him. Minamino stopped between two stalls on the opposite side of the market. He could still see his mother from here, but she would not be able to overhear their conversation.

When he turned back to face Hiei, he was still frowning. "Thank you," he said. "For getting my mother's purse back."

"It was no big deal," Hiei said. "I just happened to see him take it."

"Yes. You just… happened to see it." Minamino looked skeptical and Hiei felt his stomach knot. Was Minamino getting suspicious? Of course he was.

"I wasn't following you," Hiei protested. "I was just… here."

"Yet you have not bought anything," Minamino pointed out, staring at Hiei's empty hands.

"I haven't been here long," Hiei lied. Minamino's paranoid attitude was really getting on his nerves. Though, he supposed, in Minamino's case, he was actually correct. That was proving very inconvenient for Hiei. He would have to find a way to put Minamino at ease, and quickly.

"Believe it or not, the whole world doesn't revolve around you," he grumbled.

Minamino looked taken aback by his words. He remained silent, actually seeming to consider them. Then he spoke. "I am sorry," he said. "You are right. I should not have assumed."

Yeah. There are a lot of things you shouldn't have assumed, Hiei thought. You shouldn't have assumed that I was following you because I wanted to ask you on a date. But he kept his thoughts to himself.

"Perhaps we could start over?" Minamino suggested. "I am Minamino Shuichi, but I suppose you already know that." A small, mischievous twinkle came into his green eyes. "Or should I perhaps not assume that?"

A smile tugged at the corners of Hiei's mouth. "My name is Jaganshi Hiei. It's very nice to meet you, Minamino Shuichi." He usually wouldn't have been so polite but he was trying to get on Minamino's good side, after all.

Minamino returned his smile. "It is a pleasure to meet you, too," he said. "Perhaps we should get back to Mother now." His expression turned anxious as he glanced back towards the woman sitting on the bench. Hiei looked over to see that she was going through the contents of her handbag. Checking for missing or damaged items, Hiei guessed. As if sensing their gazes, she raised her head and smiled at them. Minamino immediately started back towards her, as if drawn by a magnet. Hiei followed in his wake.

When they reached her, she said, "I was just thinking, Shuichi… Perhaps your friend would like to join us for lunch?"

Minamino looked surprised as he glanced at Hiei. "Mother, I am sure that Hiei is busy."

"I'm not busy," Hiei blurted out. Minamino's eyes widened. His mother interjected before he could say anything.

"There. He's not busy," she said in satisfaction. "It's decided, then."

Minamino's eyes flicked between Hiei and his mother, a frown crossing his face. "Mother…" he started. He obviously didn't think that anything was decided.

"Shuichi…" she said warningly. She held her son's gaze unflinchingly for several seconds. Minamino's lips turned down into a small pout but he said nothing.

Finally he sighed, his breath coming out in a soft woosh and his shoulders slumping. Hiei observed the two of them with interest, sensing that he'd just missed something that had passed between them. A small pang of jealousy went through him. To be so close to someone that you could communicate without words. He'd had that kind of rapport with his sister and he missed it deeply.

The woman turned to smile at Hiei. "He's such a shy boy," she told him. "He never invites anyone over. He's always been the same, even when he was very young."

"Mother!" Minamino's voice was horrified. She laughed at him, the sound pleasant and musical. Again, Hiei found himself trying to hold back a smile. Seeing the cool and unflappable Minamino being harassed by his mother made Hiei's day.

"Now, young man, your name is Hiei, correct?" she asked.

"Yes, ma'am," Hiei told her.

"I'm Minamino Shiori. Just call me Shiori." She stood, sliding her bag over her shoulder.

Minamino tugged on the strap. "Mother, I will carry it for you," he said.

She batted at his hand. "No, Shuichi," she said. Minamino let his hand fall, his face crestfallen. She started to walk down the street. Minamino looked over to Hiei and then began to follow her, quickening his stride to reach her side. Hiei followed, staying behind them. After several minutes, Shiori made an abrupt turn and Hiei saw that they were entering a small cafe.

Hiei watched with amusement as Minamino pulled out a chair for his mother. She seemed used to this treatment and sat, after simply thanking him.

Minamino took the chair beside his mother and Hiei sat across from her. Shiori began to read through the menu, with Minamino leaning over to view it. Hiei picked up his own menu and studied it.

The waitress stopped by their table and asked if they were ready to order. Shiori gave her order first. Hiei noticed Minamino's eyes narrow as he listened to his mother. He gave the waitress his order in a clipped tone. Hiei followed their example. He'd never been to this cafe before but their menu seemed pretty standard and their prices not overly extravagant.

"Mother," Minamino said when the waitress left. "Are you sure that is enough?"

"Shuichi," his mother said, an edge of irritation entering her voice.

Minamino pursed his lips. Shiori shook her head, a sigh escaping her lips.

Hiei couldn't help himself, even though he knew it was rude. "Maybe you should let her take care of herself," he said to Minamino.

Minamino flinched, his eyes meeting Hiei's. He looked stunned.

Shiori laughed softly. She didn't seem at all offended by Hiei's words.

"I'm afraid he's been like this for a while," she said. "I was quite ill recently, and while I have recovered, Shuichi is rather overly cautious." She reached over to give her son's shoulder a pat. Minamino's expression softened and he looked down at the table.

The waitress arrived with their orders. Minamino picked at his food, his attention focused on his mother. Finally Hiei tired of watching him play with his food and kicked his ankle lightly under the table. Minamino jumped, his jade eyes turning to stare at Hiei in startled confusion.

"Eat your food," Hiei snapped at him.

Shiori laughed again. Minamino's eyes flicked to her and then back to Hiei, then down to his plate. He began to eat.

"I like this one, Shuichi," Shiori said, her tone light. "I think he's perfect for you."

Minamino choked on his mouthful of rice. He coughed. Hiei felt his cheeks turning red and he hastily ducked his head to hide his face.

"Mother!" Minamino exclaimed when he could finally speak.

"You're both so cute," Shiori told them. Her brown eyes danced. Minamino buried his face in his hands.

-0-

"I am terribly sorry about that," Minamino apologised to Hiei as they stood outside the cafe. SHiori had gone to the ladies room. Hiei suspected that it was merely an excuse to give them some time alone.

"It's fine," Hiei said. "She's lovely." She really was. Hiei didn't know what it was like to have a mother, but he wished that he'd had someone like Ms. Minamino in his life. Minamino was very lucky.

"She is," Minamino agreed, a fond smile crossing his face. "Though she does rather enjoy embarrassing me at inconvenient times." He stood leaning against the wall, hands shoved into his slacks pockets. Hiei leaned on the edge of one of the tables.

Minamino's gaze was thoughtful as he watched the people walking by. "I've been thinking…" he started.

Hiei waited, wondering what was on the other man's mind.

"Perhaps I could reconsider my 'no dating' rule," he said.

Huh? Hiei blinked at him in confusion.

"That is, if you are agreeable," Minamino added. He turned his face to Hiei, his green eyes holding a question.

Hiei replayed Minamino's words in his mind, struggling to make sense of them. Surely they didn't mean what he thought they meant?

"You… you mean… you want to… me?" Hiei stammered out. This was completely unexpected.

Minamino smiled. "It really is not that complicated," he said, amused. "Are you busy on Friday?"

"N-no. No, I'm not," Hiei said, flabbergasted.

"Good," Minamino said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. "May I get your number?" he asked.

They exchanged phone numbers. "We'll discuss plans in the next few days," Minamino said. "That is, if I do not see you at the campus."

Hiei nodded. He felt numb as he slid his phone back into his jacket pocket. He just couldn't believe this was happening. He was supposed to abduct this man and hand him over to the Syndicate for God knows what. Here he was, going out on a date with him?

The bell jangling over the cafe door drew the attention of both men and they turned to see Shiori exiting. She smiled brightly at both of them. Perfect timing, Hiei thought. Was it mother's intuition? He'd heard of it, but he didn't really believe in it. But, then again, many people would say that being able to shoot flames from your hand was impossible.

"Shall we go, then?" Shiori asked them. "I want to get some vegetables before we go home."

"Of course, Mother." Minamino took her arm.

"I have to go," Hiei said.

"Oh, that's such a shame," Shiori said. "It was so nice to meet you."

"Thank you for lunch," Hiei said. "It was nice to meet you, too."

After exchanging farewells with the pair, Hiei walked through the throng of people, heading for the train station. The day felt surreal to him. He'd spent most of his life in the Syndicate. Most of his time had been spent with his sister or the doctors. He'd never experienced normal social interactions, like going out to lunch with friends. He felt that he'd gotten a glimpse into a world that he didn't belong in. A world that he would never be a part of. That sort of life just wasn't in his stars.


	4. Chapter 4

Minamino called Hiei on the next evening. He asked if Hiei would go out to dinner with him on Friday. Hiei was surprised. He had thought that Minamino would suggest spending an afternoon together or a lunch.

Hiei had never been on a date with anyone before and he'd never had dinner at a restaurant either. Despite Minamino's confident assurances, Hiei was nervous.

He was relieved to find, when going through his closet, that he had an appropriate suit for the occassion. He left his hair in its usual style and also kept the bandana on. It looked out of place but it was necessary to hide his jagan eye.

Minamino showed up at Hiei's door fifteen minutes early. Luckily, Hiei was ready.

Minamino wore a white dress shirt and dark slacks. A jacket was slung over his arm. His long hair was tied back in a low ponytail. His eyes skimmed over Hiei's outfit, then up to the bandana. He frowned a little but didn't comment, much to Hiei's relief. If the redhead asked about it, Hiei had no idea what excuse he would make.

"Is it all right if we're a little early?" Hiei asked as they walked to Minamino's car.

"It will be fine," Minamino assured him.

"Have you, ah, done this before a lot?" Hiei asked.

Minamino gave him an uncertain look as he moved to open the passenger door of the car. "Done what?" He inquired.

"Gone out… on dates," Hiei clarified.

Minamino laughed, raising one hand to his mouth. "What would you consider 'a lot'?" He asked, his eyes dancing.

"Um… forget I asked," hiei said, sliding into the car.

Minamino was still smiling as he drove out of the parking lot. "I get the impression that this is something of a new experience for you," he said.

"Yeah," Hiei admitted. He avoided Minamino's gaze by staring out the window. He was embarrassed by his inexperience.

"Just relax and enjoy yourself," Minamino advised. "Everything will be fine."

Hiei hoped that he was right.

-0-

The restaurant was a fancy French one. Hiei had never eaten French food before. He was pleased to see that most of the men in the room were dressed like himself and Minamino, minus the bandana, of course. That made him feel a little less like a fish out of water.

Minamino helped Hiei with his order, translating the French names as best he could.

"Why can't they just call it what it is," Hiei grumbled. Minamino smiled kindly at him.

"Because then we wouldn't pay half as much for it," he said.

"Yeah, that figures," Hiei said cynically.

When the waiter arrived to take their order, Minamino gave it in fluent but accented French.

"Thank you, Mademoiselle, Monsieur," the waiter said.

Minamino frowned as the waiter left their table.

"What's wrong?" Hiei asked him, noting the unhappy expression on his handsome face.

Minamino sighed. "He thinks I am a woman," he admitted reluctantly.

"Really?" Hiei was surprised. "What, is he blind? Can't he see you're wearing a suit?"

"Apparently not," Minamino said. "It happens frequently. It is fine."

But from the look on his face, Hiei doubted if Minamino was as okay with it as he tried to make out.

"Maybe you should cut your hair," Hiei suggested.

"My hair?" Minamino asked. He reached up to twine his fingers in his ponytail.

"Yes," Hiei affirmed. "It would make you look less like a girl."

"I cannot cut it," Minamino informed him bluntly. He lowered his hand.

"Why not?" Hiei demanded. That seemed really strange to him. What reason could Minamino have for needing to keep his hair long?

"It is… practical," Minamino said. "A necessity." He looked uncomfortable.

"Necessity?" Hiei inquired curiously.

"I would prefer not to discuss it," Minamino said stiffly.

"Okay. It's your hair," Hiei muttered.

When their food arrived, Hiei took one bite and had to fight to hide his grimace. It certainly wasn't to his liking. He looked over at his companion to find him focused on his own dish. He seemed to be enjoying his food and Hiei didn't want to put a damper on things so he continued to eat.

Minamino had also ordered a bottle of red wine. Hiei was through his first glass before he realised it. He'd never had wine before and it made his head spin a little. It was good, though.

Minamino sipped contentedly from his glass, occasionally trying to engage Hiei in conversation. He asked about what courses Hiei was taking. After a brief panicked pause, Hiei told him that he was studying medicine. After everything he'd been through with the Syndicate, he felt that he knew enough about the field to be able to answer any questions Minamino might have.

Hiei had started on his second glass of wine when his stomach gave an unpleasant heave. His face paled. Minamino noticed.

"Is everything all right, Hiei?" he asked.

"Y-yes. I just… need to go to the bathroom," Hiei said. It wasn't even a lie.

Minamino's concerned expression remained as he studied Hiei. Hiei was anxious to get out from under his scrutinising gaze and shot to his feet. He was passing Minamino when he tripped. Minamino caught him but in the process, dropped his wine glass. Red wine spilled down his shirt, staining the white fabric. It spread like blood from a fresh wound.

"Shit!" Hiei groaned, noticing the shirt after awkwardly regaining his feet.

Minamino rose to his feet, his hand gripping Hiei's arm. "It seems I will also require the bathroom," he said. Hiei looked over to him to see that he wore a wry half-smile on his face. Minamino started to steer them between the tables and towards the hall where the bathrooms were located.

"I'm so sorry," Hiei said weakly as they entered the bathroom. Minamino immediately went to the sink. He looked back over his shoulder at Hiei.

"Please don't worry about it," he said. "It is not the end of the world."

But it was to Hiei. His stomach gave another lurch and he hurried into one of the toilet stalls. It was one of the most embarrassing situations in his life. Throwing up during a date with a handsome guy after spilling wine all over him.

Minamino politely didn't say anything when Hiei washed his face. He was currently dabbing at the stain on his shirt hopelessly.

"Perhaps we should leave," Minamino gently suggested when Hiei felt courageous enough to face him again.

"Oh, God, yes, please," he said in relief, drawing a chuckle from the redhead.

They left after Minamino paid the bill. Hiei offered to pay it. He even tried to get Minamino to let him pay half but Minamino refused, insisting that he'd arranged the date and the bill was his responsibility.

"Do you mind if we make a short stop on the way back to your apartment?" Minamino asked him as he drove through the dim streets.

"That's fine," Hiei told him. He owed the redhead that, considering that, because of him, the date had been a disaster.

Hiei was surprised and confused when Minamino pulled into the parking lot of a place that was familiar to him. It was the park that was two blocks away from his apartment building.

Hiei gave him a questioning look. "Here?" he asked. As far as he knew, there was nothing here that he thought would interest someone. It was just grass and trees.

Minamino got out of the car and Hiei followed suit. He walked around the vehicle to stand beside Minamino, who was patiently waiting for him. He gave Hiei a small, mysterious smile and started walking. Hiei shrugged helplessly and followed him into the park.

Minamino's steps made no sound on the thick carpet of grass. The park was dark and silent. Minamino seemed to know where he was going despite the lack of light.

Finally he stopped. Hiei stepped up beside him. They were standing beside a bench, Minamino resting one hand on it's wooden back. Before them was a garden bed. Most of the plants were dying as winter was not far away.

"My mother used to bring me here," Minamino said quietly. Despite the low volume of his voice, it sounded loud in the silence. "When I was old enough to come here on my own, I would sit here and read."

Hiei stayed silent. He had no idea why Minamino had felt the need to come here now. And why he was choosing to share this with him.

"It's funny, the things that stay with you," Minamino commented. "The things you remember. Sometimes it's the smallest, most insignificant, normal things that leave the deepest impression. Two years ago my mother became very ill and the doctors did not think that she would survive. All I could think about were the times she used to bring me here."

He didn't look at Hiei. His green eyes remained on the garden in front of him. "The flowers look lovely in the spring," he said eventually.

"I'm sure they do," Hiei said.

Minamino did look at him then and his lips were turned up into a small sad smile. "Thank you for indulging my silly notions," he said. "I should take you home now."

He started to walk back towards the car, his shoulder brushing against Hiei's as he passed him. Hiei followed him, his mind whirling with thoughts. What could the Syndicate possibly want with this man? It just didn't make any sense.

He was so normal. His life revolved around his studies and his mother. And not much else. Neither of those things could possibly interest the Syndicate. And, as for supernatural powers, he'd displayed none.

Besides, if he had abilities, the Syndicate would not want him abducted. They would want him killed. They only ever abducted gifted children. Children were much easier to train.

And why did Hiei care? Why was he dragging this out so long? Minamino walked several paces ahead of him, steps fluid and graceful. Hiei glanced around himself. The park was still and quiet. Deserted. If he made a move on Minamino now there would be no witnesses. And he could put this ridiculousness behind him.

But he couldn't. What if somebody did see them? Just because he couldn't hear anything didn't mean that someone wasn't nearby. If he was sloppy and Minamino had time to scream, or somehow manage to escape…

Or was he just trying to come up with excuses to delay the inevitable? Hiei shook his head, trying to clear it. Things used to be simple. What had changed? Damn that redheaded bastard. He made things so complicated and he was completely oblivious to it. That didn't seem fair to Hiei.

Minamino dropped Hiei off at his apartment building, promising to call him the next day if they didn't run into each other in person. Hiei was surprised as he didn't think that Minamino would want to continue their relationship, given what a disaster this night had been.

"I think you are exaggerating," Minamino told him as they stood in front of Hiei's apartment door after Hiei had voiced his confusion. "I assure you, I have had worse evenings."

Now Hiei really did want to hear about that. "I doubt that," he said.

Minamino glanced down at his shirt and tugged his jacket tighter around himself, hiding the stain.

"I'll pay for the shirt," Hiei muttered awkwardly, his eyes on the floor.

Minamino looked back up at him. "No need," he said easily. "I had best let you get some sleep. I have classes tomorrow anyway."

"Yeah. Ah, good night," Hiei said uncertainly.

Minamino nodded, his smile friendly. "I hope to see you soon, Hiei," he said. "Good night." He turned and started to walk down the hall towards the elevator. Hiei watched him go, his stomach twisting uncomfortably from more than just his unpalatable meal.

Why? Why him? Why wouldn't that question leave him alone?


	5. Chapter 5

Hiei decided to go to the university the next day in the hopes of speaking to Minamino again. In his pocket was a wad of cash that he hoped would cover the cost of replacing the redhead's shirt. Minamino's insistence aside, Hiei truly felt that the incident had been his fault and he wanted to make up for it.

Minamino looked surprised when Hiei cornered him while he was leaving his first class. He gave Hiei a warm smile.

"Hello, Hiei," he said. "How are you today?"

"I'm good, thanks," Hiei responded. Not wanting to delay any further, he reached into his pocket and withdrew the wad of bills. He held them out to Minamino who regarded them with a perplexed frown. "For the shirt," Hiei explained.

Minamino's eyes darted around them and Hiei became aware that several other students were staring curiously at them. He felt a touch on his arm and glanced down to see Minamino's hand resting lightly there.

"Come with me," he said. Hiei trailed him down the hall. Minamino glanced through the open doors until he found an empty classroom and entered. Hiei followed him.

Minamino leaned against the teacher's desk, still frowning.

"What's the matter?" Hiei asked. Minamino's behaviour was confusing him.

"You should not have done that," Minamino told him.

"Done what?" Hiei demanded, his irritation building. He hated not knowing what was going on.

Minamino waved his hand and Hiei realised that he was gesturing at the money Hiei still held.

"This?" Hiei questioned, holding up the cash.

"Yes," Minamino sighed. "It is not necessary, anyway. I can certainly afford to replace one shirt."

"Why?" Hiei asked.

Minamino looked confused. "Why can I afford to replace a shirt?" he asked.

"No," Hiei snapped. "The money."

After a moment Minamino's face smoothed out into an expression of understanding. He shifted so that he was sitting on the desk.

"My classmates might… come to the wrong conclusion," he said.

Minamino seemed to think that his words were explanation enough but Hiei was still puzzled.

"Wrong conclusion?" he asked. "What wrong conclusion could they possibly come to?"

Minamino's eyes widened. Hiei didn't like the look on his face. It made him feel as though Minamino thought he were stupid.

"Do you really not know?" Minamino asked, sounding stunned.

"Would I be asking if I knew?" Hiei demanded. He was getting angry now. This entire conversation was just crazy.

Minamino sighed. For a moment he didn't say anything. Eventually he said, "My classmates may think that I am sleeping with you for cash."

Hiei's jaw dropped. "Like a… They would really think that?" he asked, stunned.

Minamino nodded. "One of my classmates, a rather unpleasant young man, started a malicious rumour a few months ago that I was… performing certain acts to secure my high grades. It was entirely false, of course, but…"

"Some of them can't let it go?" Hiei guessed. He found it easy to believe that some of Minamino's classmates might be jealous of him.

Minamino nodded, a bitter smile passing across his features. "Yes," he agreed. "They are awfully quick to jump to conclusions."

"I see." Hiei's earlier annoyance at the man had completely vanished. He now understood completely why Minamino had reacted in such a manner. "I'm sorry," he said. Then he held out the cash again.

"I am not taking it," Minamino told him firmly as he slid off the desk.

"No one's here to see it," Hiei pointed out.

"And I told you. I do not need it," Minamino said, his words clipped with frustration.

"Fine," Hiei muttered, shoving the cash back into his pocket. He'd find some other way to make it up to Minamino.

Minamino was passing through the doorway of the classroom when an idea struck Hiei.

"Minamino?" he asked.

Minamino paused, his hand on the doorframe. "Shuichi," he said.

Hiei felt irritated. Despite Minamino's constant requests for Hiei to use his first name, Hiei was uncomfortable doing so. It felt too intimate. He was already getting far too close to this man.

And he was about to propose something that would make keeping Minamino at arm's length even more difficult.

"Are you free tomorrow night?" He asked.

"Tomorrow night?" Minamino asked, one red eyebrow raised in inquiry.

"Yeah," Hiei confirmed.

"Yes, I am," Minamino said. "What do you have in mind?"

"Dinner," Hiei said. "At my place."

Minamino turned towards him, his face full of surprise. "Well, now," he said. "That is an offer I feel I cannot turn down."

"Six o'clock?" Hiei asked.

"I will be there," Minamino promised.

Butterflies fluttered in Hiei's stomach. He was suddenly nervous. He had no idea what he was going to cook. He was an average chef at best. Should he risk messing it up or should he order take-away instead?

"Hiei?"

Hiei looked up to see Minamino regarding him with a small, amused smile.

"Coming?" he asked.

Hiei realised that he'd completely spaced out. "Yes," he said. He followed Minamino out into the hall, crowded with students making their way to their next class.

-0-

Hiei decided to take the risk and cook for Minamino. He wasn't sure what the man liked but figured that traditional Japanese food was probably a safe bet. He looked up some recipes online and found some dishes that didn't sound too difficult.

He'd told Minamino to arrive at six but he hadn't calculated the cooking time properly. He'd failed to take into account how inexperienced he was in the kitchen. The doorbell rang while he was still in the process of cooking.

He left the kitchen and approached the door. He nervously opened it to see Minamino standing there, a paper bag in one hand. He was dressed more casually than he had been for their previous dinner date. He wore a pale pink long-sleeved button-up shirt and dark brown slacks. His hair was loose.

"Good evening," he said. "Am I too early?"

Yes. "No," Hiei told him. He gestured for Minamino to enter the apartment as he wondered what was in the bag he'd brought. Minamino slipped out of his shoes and followed Hiei into the kitchen.

Hiei was relieved to see that his food hadn't burnt in the time he'd neglected it. Minamino set the bag on the island counter as he sniffed the air.

"That smells quite promising," he said.

"I'm sorry. It's not ready yet," Hiei apologised.

"I can wait," Minamino assured him. He removed a bottle of wine from the bag. "For later," he explained. "Let us hope it ends up in our stomachs, rather than on my shirt." He smiled kindly at Hiei.

"Let's hope," Hiei agreed.

-0-

Hiei hadn't bothered with candles or any other form of decoration for the table. He'd used his usual plain white tablecloth. His dishes were nothing fancy either. Minamino didn't complain. In fact, he complimented Hiei on his cooking. Hiei watched him closely for any sign that he might be lying but Minamino really did seem to enjoy it. He even asked for seconds.

He insisted on helping Hiei clean up the dishes and refused to be deterred. After they'd cleaned up, Hiei sent Minamino into the living room while he poured them both a glass of wine each.

Hiei stared down into the dark red liquid of the glass. His hands began to shake. He would never have a better opportunity than this. He was alone with Minamino in a place where they weren't likely to be disturbed. He controlled the environment. This would be the best time to strike.

Hiei opened up the cabinet over his sink where he kept his medicine. He took out a small bottle and shook two pills into his hand. He put the bottle down on the counter and dropped the two pills into one of the glasses. He stirred the wine until the pills had completely dissolved.

He took a deep breath to steady his nerves before picking up the glasses. Minamino would never know what happened. He would just fall asleep. Hiei could then just take him to the Syndicate and forget about him. Try to forget about him, anyway.

Minamino's back was to Hiei as he entered the living room. He was observing a painting hanging on the living room wall. It was of a black dragon in flight over a forest in flames. Hiei had seen it at a garage sale once while he was looking for furniture for his apartment and it had caught his eye. He wasn't sure if it was the majesty of the dragon as it spread it's giant wings over the land or the vibrant red and oranges of the flames dancing that had drawn his eye. He'd spent far longer than he'd ever like to admit, just standing there and staring at the painting. He'd stared at it for so long that he swore the flames were actually moving, sending sparks flying.

Minamino seemed transfixed by the painting as well. His eyes were fixed on the dragon. He didn't seem to notice Hiei's entrance.

Maybe what the Syndicate had planned for Minamino wasn't so bad. After all, Hiei had survived, hadn't he? Maybe they had something similar in mind for Minamino. Maybe they intended to experiment on him as they had on Hiei.

The sound of the glasses tumbling from Hiei's suddenly nerveless fingers made Minamino spin. He stared at Hiei in surprise for a moment before his eyes went to the carpet at Hiei's feet. The glasses lay on their sides, red liquid spilling over the floor.

"Hiei? Are you all right?" Minamino walked around the sofa to stand in front of Hiei, carefully avoiding the growing puddles of wine at his feet. He took hold of Hiei's arms. "You are white as a ghost," Minamino continued, his voice full of concern.

Hiei numbly allowed Minamino to guide him to the sofa. What was he doing? His mind was a muddle of confusion as he sank into the soft cushions. Why was this so fucking hard? He'd killed people before and lost no sleep over it. What was wrong with him?

Minamino went into the kitchen, taking the glasses with him. More than a minute later he returned with some wet washcloths. He knelt on the carpet and began to scrub at it.

"It won't come out," Hiei said. His tongue felt thick and he swallowed.

Minamino raised his head from his task to look at him. "Probably not," he agreed. "But I felt that I ought to make the attempt. It seems that we do not have much luck with wine. Perhaps next time we should try something else."

His expression was pleasant but his eyes were distant. Almost sad or … disappointed? Hiei couldn't understand what was going through the man's head. He couldn't even understand what was going through his own head. What hope did he have of deciphering the enigma that was Minamino Shuichi. Maybe there was something strange about him after all.

Minamino finally abandoned his hopeless task and briefly returned to the kitchen. He came back with two new glasses of wine.

"Shall we try again?" he asked, handing Hiei one of the glasses before sitting down beside him.

Hiei took a sip and closed his eyes, savouring the taste. He had a strong urge to just down the entire glass and hope it made him drunk enough to forget everything.

He looked over to see Minamino sipping from his own glass. He turned his head to catch Hiei's gaze.

"Thank you for tonight," he said. "I enjoyed the food."

"Ah, yeah. I'm glad," Hiei said awkwardly. He took a large gulp of the wine from his glass. Minamino's eyes seemed too bright and they were sitting so closely together that he could feel the heat of Minamino's body.

Minamino set his glass down on the coffee table and reached for Hiei's. Hiei allowed him to take it from his hand, unsure of what Minamino had in mind. Minamino set Hiei's glass down beside his own and then turned back to him.

He half-turned on the sofa and reached up to brush his fingers along Hiei's cheek. Hiei's heart skipped a beat as he stared into twin pools of deep green. He felt like he was drowning. He couldn't believe this was happening. A small part of him was screaming that he should stop this, whatever it was. That things were difficult enough as it was. That this was going too far.

But Minamino was leaning forward now, pressing his lips against Hiei's. Hiei responded automatically. Minamino tasted of the wine he'd been drinking. Minamino's hand went to the back of Hiei's head, burying itself in his dark hair. Hiei's hands were all over the other man and Minamino certainly wasn't objecting.

Minamino broke the kiss. By this time he was almost sitting in Hiei's lap. Hiei licked his lips, the taste of the wine lingering.

"Should we… take this somewhere more appropriate?" Minamino lightly suggested.

Hiei nodded. Minamino watched him expectantly but Hiei didn't move.

"Unless… this is not what you want?" Minamino finally asked. He looked disappointed. He started to shift away from Hiei, his eyes downcast. Hiei assumed that he was embarrassed and immediately felt bad. His hand shot out and grabbed Minamino's wrist.

"No. It's…" Hiei's attempt to explain himself failed dismally. He mentally scolded himself. Pull it together. He stood, pulling Minamino up with him. He led the redhead to his bedroom.

Minamino somehow had Hiei's shirt off before they ever got to the bed. It was a fact that Hiei was not completely aware of until Minamino pulled back, his attention caught by something on Hiei's arm.

Hiei immediately stepped back as Minamino ran one hand up the black marks on Hiei's arm. He looked fascinated.

"Don't," Hiei said.

Minamino's head rose and Hiei saw that he was confused. "I've never seen a tattoo like that before," he said. "Does it mean anything?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Hiei snapped.

Minamino gave him a hurt look. Hiei's eyes slid away from his. Of course Minamino didn't understand his feelings about the marks. He thought that they were just an ordinary tattoo.

"I'm sorry," Minamino said, his tone sincere. "It is none of my business." He rested his hands on Hiei's hips but made no move to continue their earlier activities. Now he looked uncharacteristically unsure of himself.

Realising that Minamino was letting him decide where things went from here, Hiei felt a surge of panic run through him. He could stop it here. He could ask Minamino to leave. He could…

But, then what? Would that change anything? It certainly wouldn't change how he felt.

Minamino still waited, his emerald eyes searching Hiei's crimson ones. His hands on Hiei's hips felt warm. The taste of the wine lingered in Hiei's mouth.

Fuck it, Hiei thought. He was tired of second-guessing everything. For just this one night, he was going to take what he wanted. Damn the consequences. Didn't he deserve a little happiness for himself?

He stepped forward and kissed Minamino. Minamino responded enthusiastically, his hands rising from Hiei's hips to bury themselves in his hair. His fingers started to play with the bandana but Hiei quickly grabbed his wrists and brought them back down.

"No. Just leave it," he said, his lips barely parted from Minamino's.

Minamino made a small noise that Hiei assumed was agreement before bringing his lips to Hiei's again.

-0-

Hours later, a solitary figure stood beside the bed, framed by moonlight streaming in through the glass of the sliding balcony door behind him. His long red hair was in disarray and he was shirtless.

The sound of his lover's soft snores filled the room. Kurama sighed and padded out of the room on silent feet. He was very disappointed with how things had gone. He had genuinely liked the young man. He'd actually given him the benefit of the doubt, hoping that he was wrong about him.

He'd sensed the young man's energy around the university campus and had quickly realised that the dark haired young man had been following him. He'd put aside his doubts and decided to accept his story. After all, he wasn't the only person around with spiritual energy. He wasn't even the only person on the university campus Kurama had encountered who possessed it.

But then he'd trailed Kurama to the market. With his mother. Kurama had still been willing to believe him. What were the chances that the Syndicate could find him? He had a new body now. A new name. A new life. He'd cut all ties with his former life.

Kurama entered the living room and went to the laptop that was sitting on the edge of the coffee table, plugged into a charger. He opened the lid and the screen came to life. He was not even asked for a password. Hiei must have forgotten to log out when he'd used it last.

He had almost entirely put aside his reservations after the dinner date and the park. After all, if Hiei was from the Syndicate, why hadn't he made a move then? It had been a perfect opportunity. It was dark and they were alone. Kurama had even given him his back. It was the optimal time to strike.

But Hiei hadn't. Kurama had allowed himself to hope that their budding relationship was based on something genuine. That it might actually go somewhere, given time.

But then he'd entered Hiei's kitchen with the wine glasses, to see the bottle of pills sitting in plain view on the countertop. Kurama knew that these pills were often used to spike drinks. They were odourless and tasteless. Undetectable. They hadn't been there before dinner, or after they'd cleaned up. Which meant that Hiei had to have taken them out when he was getting the wine.

And there could be only one explanation for that. He'd intended to drug Kurama.

Intended to. For some reason, he hadn't gone through with it. Had the dropped glasses been an accident or deliberate? Was he still in danger from this man? If the Syndicate had found him, had they sent others as well? Yomi wasn't the sort to put all his eggs in one basket.

Kurama felt sick as he searched through Hiei's computer. His history showed that he had been looking up Kurama's new persona online. But there was no mention of his true name. Did Hiei not know his history?

Kurama wanted to laugh. Yomi had sent him in as blind as the old man was. That poor fool had no idea what he was dealing with.

Kurama closed the lid of the laptop. There had been nothing on there mentioning the Syndicate, but that didn't mean anything. Yomi was old-school, preferring paper to digital records. If he'd handed his employee any kind of instructions or information, it would have been on paper. Resistant to tampering but easy to destroy if necessary. Digital files always left a trace but a burnt paper was nothing more than ash in the wind. No telling what it had once contained.

Kurama contemplated continuing his search for evidence but decided against it. He would proceed with caution. He had his mother to think about now. Any rash action on his part might put her in danger. He couldn't allow that.

He returned to the bedroom and removed his pants, dropping them onto the floor where they'd fallen that evening. He doubted Hiei would even notice that they'd been moved though, as he had been fully occupied with other matters at that time.

Kurama slid under the sheets. Hiei's soft snores continued as he slept on, oblivious to his bedpartner's midnight activities. Kurama closed his eyes and concentrated on his breathing. Eventually he joined Hiei in sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

Hiei woke slowly. His eyes opened to see bright sunlight streaming through the gauzy curtains of the balcony door. Cursing softly, he squeezed his eyes shut. He wondered how late it was. He was usually up much earlier than this.

He rolled over, belatedly realising that the spot next to where he'd been sleeping was slightly warm. Puzzled, Hiei sat up and rubbed his eyes. He felt as though he were forgetting something. Something important. Something that happened last night.

He slid out of bed. He almost tripped when his foot unexpectedly caught in his pants and had to catch himself by placing his hand on the mattress. He saw that his shirt was laying near the doorway. Something had definitely happened last night.

A vision struck him. A vision of a very familiar man staring up at him, his green eyes dark with lust. His red hair spilled over Hiei's pillow.

Hiei pulled on his clothes numbly. He stared at himself in the mirror. His clothes were rumpled as they were what he'd been wearing last night. His bandana was still in place but his hair was mussed.

Despite his disheveled appearance and sleep-fogged mind, he actually felt very rested. He turned to the door and walked out into the hall. His nose twitched as a familiar and enticing scent reached it. Coffee. Hiei always had a cup of coffee after getting up every morning. He could never wake up fully until he got some caffeine into him.

But he hadn't made any coffee yet. Hiei cautiously entered the kitchen. He was graced with the startling sight of a shirtless Minamino stirring a cup. The scent of the strong coffee drew Hiei forward.

Minamino smiled at him. "I thought you would sleep all day," he said, a teasing note in his voice. "You can have this cup if you like. I will make another."

"No, it's okay," Hiei told him. "You have it."

"I think not," Minamino said as he pushed the cup towards Hiei. "I can see the way you stare at it. I can wait for my coffee but I do not think you can."

Hiei gratefully took the cup and sipped it. It wasn't as strong as he liked it but he wasn't going to complain about it, as Minamino had generously allowed him to have it.

"Thanks," he said as Minamino turned back to the cupboard to get another cup out.

"I suppose I do not need to ask if you slept well," he said, reaching up to the cupboard above him, the muscles in his back flexing as he did so. Hiei shamelessly admired him as he sipped his coffee. He felt strangely contented and satisfied. The events of last night were becoming clearer and clearer. He knew that his hands had already explored every inch of that gorgeous body. But it wasn't enough. It would never be enough.

He took a large gulp of the coffee, the hot liquid burning his throat as it went down. He had to control himself.

Minamino turned back to him, cup in hand. He began to make his own coffee.

"I will have to leave after this coffee," he informed Hiei. "I am afraid I did not plan on spending the night and Mother will be worried about me."

Mother. Minamino was always thinking about his mother. What was with him? Why was he so fixated on her? Okay, she had been ill, but it still seemed to Hiei as if there was more to it. It just wasn't normal.

"You don't have to go," he said, his voice thick.

Minamino smiled wistfully. "I wish I could stay," he said. "But I have plans today."

"Plans?" Hiei asked curiously.

"Yes," Minamino said simply. He did not elaborate on what those plans might be. Instead he set the spoon aside and brought his cup to his lips. He sighed as he took his first sip. "This is a good blend," he said when he set the cup down.

"Hmm," Hiei agreed. Hiei was usually not picky about which brands he bought when it came to most things, but he believed that some things were worth paying a little extra for. Coffee was one of them.

"About last night…" Minamino started.

Oh, did he have to go there? Hiei felt sick as he wondered what Minamino would say next. Did he regret what happened?

And why did Hiei care? He was going to hand him over to the Syndicate. The relationship was over before it even started. He had to accept that. The end was coming, like a train roaring towards them at top speed. Hiei could only hope that he could bear the fallout.

Because as much as he didn't want to admit it, this impossible man was weaselling his way into Hiei's life and affections.

"I do not know what you think of me," Minamino said, his quiet voice drawing Hiei from his thoughts. "But I do not usually do… that." Minamino looked down into his cup, his green eyes hooded.

"Neither do I," Hiei said. What other people thought of him certainly seemed to matter a lot to Minamino. It must be stressful for him.

"Well, good," Minamino said.

"Good?" Hiei asked, frowning at him.

"I would hate to think that I was merely the latest in a long string of lovers."

Hiei choked on his coffee, indignation rising inside him. What the hell was Minamino trying to imply? He opened his mouth to give Minamino a piece of his mind but froze when he saw Minamino looking at him with a devilish sparkle in his eyes. Hiei decided to give him some of his own medicine.

"And what if you were?" he asked, keeping his expression carefully blank.

"Well, then, I would have to kill your ex-lovers," Minamino said, his tone completely serious and his face impassive. "I am afraid I cannot abide sharing my partner."

Hiei laughed. Minamino's expression cracked into a smile. His eyes danced as he brought his cup to his lips again.

Minamino finished his coffee all too quickly in Hiei's opinion. Hiei offered to allow him to shower, hoping to delay him a little more. Minamino declined the offer, stating that he was going straight home. He retrieved his shirt from Hiei's bedroom floor and donned it before wishing Hiei a pleasant day and leaving him.

Hiei's apartment felt empty after Minamino's departure. He stood in the living room, wondering what to do with himself now. He should shower. He should think about what to do with Minamino. Yomi would be growing impatient with him. Abduction cases usually took longer than assassinations as the victim had to be taken alive, and relatively unharmed. That wasn't always easy since most of the people that the Syndicate abducted had special abilities that required negation. But nothing had been mentioned in Minamino's file about special abilities and Minamino hadn't displayed any during the time Hiei had been watching him. Yomi would not wait forever. Soon he would begin asking questions. Questions that Hiei was not prepared to answer.

-0-

Kurama stood in the small pay phone booth outside a corner grocery store. He dialled a number that he'd memorised but hadn't had cause to use in a long time. He waited patiently for the line to connect, the phone pressed to his ear.

"What do you want?" a crotchety voice demanded rudely.

Kurama bit back a smile. Despite the disgruntled tone of the old woman on the other end of the line, he was glad it was she who had answered his call.

"Good morning, Master Genkai," he said politely. "I apologise for disturbing you."

A huff came through the phone. Kurama could almost imagine the old woman standing in her living room puffing on a cigarette, the television on in the background, paused on a video game.

"Fox," she said. Kurama wasn't surprised that she'd figured out who he was, despite the fact that he hadn't seen her in years. Genkai led a mostly solitary life in her isolated temple and few people in her life addressed her as Kurama did.

Kurama chose not to beat around the bush. Genkai was a fan of directness.

"I believe I have been found," he said quietly.

"Believe?" Genkai demanded. "You aren't sure?"

"Not quite," Kurama admitted. "I am certainly being targeted but I have found no evidence that the person in question knows who I really am."

"Come out here," Genkai said. "That old goat has ears everywhere. We'll talk in person."

The line went dead as she hung up. Kurama breathed out a relieved sigh as he set the phone back in it's cradle. It might have sounded like a ridiculous claim that Yomi had ears everywhere, but Kurama wasn't willing to chance it. Nor was Genkai, it seemed. And the old woman had proven herself to be canny, in Kurama's experience. He held her in high esteem.

Kurama walked back to his mother's car. He'd stopped several blocks away from his home to make his phone call. He didn't want anyone, let alone his mother, to overhear his conversation. He could have used his mobile phone but that would have left a record of the call that could be easily traced to him. If Yomi had truly found him, then a careless move on his part could put Genkai in danger.

Kurama had difficulty mustering up a pleasant expression for his mother when she entered the hall to see him removing his shoes.

"I take it you had a good time?" she asked, her eyes twinkling.

"Yes, Mother," he said. The words tasted bitter on his tongue. The worst part was that, in part, they were true. He had been having a good time with Hiei. Up until he'd seen the pill bottle.

"I'm glad," she told him, coming forward and reaching up to pat his hair into place. "You spend far too much time with your nose buried in a book. It's nice to see you getting out and meeting people."

Kurama saw an opportunity to turn the conversation away from dangerous territory and took it joyfully. "Speaking of meeting people…" he said. He gave her an expectant look, waiting for her to pick up the thread.

Shiori laughed, familiar with her son's tactics. "Oh, no," she said. "If you won't tell, then neither will I." Her eyes sparkled with amusement.

Kurama smiled at her, pleased that she had seemed to enjoy her own evening with her new boyfriend, Kazuya. Kazuya was the CEO of a prosperous corporation and Shiori had met him through her job. They had begun dating shortly afterwards.

It was Shiori's first serious relationship since her husband had died when Kurama was still a child. Kurama very much hoped it worked out. It would certainly make his absence a little easier for her to bear, should it come to that.

Kurama mentally shoved the dismal thought into the dark depths of his brain. It was too soon to be thinking of that.

"Mother, I need to have a shower," he said, placing his hands on her shoulders.

"Go on, darling," she said. "I have some leftovers from last night if you're hungry. Do you want something heated up?"

"Yes, please," Kurama said. She turned away from him and returned to the kitchen. Kurama went up the stairs and into his room.

His room was sparsely furnished and comfortable. His bed was neatly made and his books orderly stacked in the bookcase beside his desk. The window was open, letting a cool breeze blow into the room.

The colourful blooms of the potted rose sitting in his windowsill drew his eye and Kurama stepped over to it. There were several flowers blooming on the plant, despite the fact that winter was near. Kurama fed the plant a small amount of energy to help it combat the coming chill. He might very well need it soon.

-0-

That afternoon Kurama trudged up the long staircase of the old lady's temple. He resolved to start regularly exercising as he panted for breath when he reached the top. He had somewhat neglected his physical fitness recently, as his time had been taken up by his studies.

The paved courtyard was deserted and Kurama made his way to the temple itself. He entered and removed his shoes. The sound of the television drew him into the living room and he was unsurprised to see a wrinkled old lady and a dark haired young man sitting side by side and engaged in what appeared to be a fight to the death. A virtual one, anyway.

He cleared his throat, announcing his presence. The black-haired man's head whipped around to see him. The old woman, on the other hand, completely ignored him in favour of destroying her on-screen opponent.

"Hey, man," Yusuke said with a grin. "Long time, no see. Where you been?"

"Hello, Yusuke, Master Genkai," he said. "I have been busy with my studies, Yusuke."

Having defeated her opponent, the old lady stood and turned to him. Even though she was now standing, she only came up to his chest. Her hair was a faded pink colour and her face wrinkled with age, but her eyes were bright and alert.

"Were you followed?" she demanded.

"No," Kurama said. She gave a curt nod, taking him at his word.

"Kurama!"

A happy voice accompanied arms wrapping around Kurama's waist from behind.

"Hello, Botan," he said.

She released him and moved in front of him to look him over critically. Her bubblegum pink eyes sparkled with joy.

"Look how tall you are," she exclaimed. "It's been way too long."

"Yes, it has," Kurama agreed. "And you are as lovely as ever, Botan."

She poked his nose. "Flatterer," she said. "I'll get you some tea." She left the room, blue ponytail bouncing behind her.

"What's going on?" Yusuke asked, his eyes going from Genkai to Kurama, then back again. Yusuke knew that Kurama hadn't been to the temple in some time, and wouldn't have shown up now unless there was something wrong. Kurama wondered if Genkai had filled him in on their short phone conversation earlier. Probably not, he decided.

"The fox is being hunted," Genkai told him.

Yusuke slapped one fist into his hand. "Who is it? We'll take them down."

"Yusuke…" Kurama shook his head, feeling weary. "Do you realise that they will simply send someone else?"

Yusuke's face dropped. "Yeah, but… what are you gonna do? Nothing? That doesn't fix anything either."

"You're both right, in a sense," Genkai told them. "But in the end, the decision on whether to act or not belongs to Kurama."

"I'm not just gonna sit by while those bastards come after my friends," Yusuke snapped. He gave Kurama a pleading look. "Come on, man. Who is it?"

"I am not even certain if this person works for the Syndicate," Kurama admitted. "They appear to have no knowledge of my true identity."

Yusuke laughed. "Poor sucker," he said with a grin.

"Whatever you decide to do," Genkai said. "We'll be here to help you. I'll talk to the brat and ask if he's heard anything."

"Thank you, Master Genkai," Kurama said. He'd been hoping that she would say something like that. Koenma's resources were vast, so vast that even Kurama didn't know the extent of them. If the Syndicate had found them, then there was a good chance that Koenma might know about it. At the very least, he might have data on the Syndicate's current employees. Perhaps Hiei was on that list. If he was, Kurama could put his doubts aside and take decisive action to eliminate the threat.

The threat. The way Hiei had looked at him last night… Those hadn't been the eyes of a predator, out for his blood. Those had been the eyes of someone desperate to connect.

Nothing made sense. If he wasn't after Kurama, then why the pills? If he was after Kurama, why hadn't he acted yet? What was he waiting for? Neither scenario made sense. But what other possibility was there?

Botan's voice drew Kurama from his musings. "here's the tea," she said brightly as she reentered the room with a tray.

Talk turned to more mundane topics as everyone caught up on what had been happening in each other's lives since they'd last been together. Kurama felt a little guilty that he hadn't visited in so long but this place was a link to his old life and he tried very hard to sever those bonds.

He learned that Botan was still living at the temple, as she had since she was a child. Yusuke frequently visited when his girlfriend's nagging grew too much for him to handle. The sour expression on Genkai's face as Yusuke was explaining this made Kurama suspect that Genkai believed Yusuke deserved the treatment. The other member of their small group, Kuwabara Kazuma, was not present. He was also attending university, like Kurama.

Kurama found himself relaxing in the friendly atmosphere surrounding him. It was nice to be among people with whom he could be himself. All of these people were fully aware of who he had been and his current situation, though they had never known him before he became Minamino Shuichi.

They were sympathetic to his situation as their own unique abilities had caused them difficulties. Botan was an orphan who had been kidnapped by the Syndicate, experimented on, and later rescued by Koenma's agents. Genkai had taken her in and helped her further develop her healing using methods that were far less brutal than the SYndicate's. She was very fortunate. Kurama knew first-hand that many others were not so lucky.

Yusuke and Kuwabara had been lucky as well. They had been childhood friends. Kuwabara's ability had developed first. His sister, who also had spiritual ability (though hers was much more subtle than her brother's), had sent him straight to Genkai. When Yusuke's own ability had been unlocked due to a near-death experience after being hit by a car, Kuwabara had dragged him along to the old master as well.

That was where Kurama had met them. He'd come to Genkai at Koenma's behest, to get some advice on how to develop his own ability and reach his former level of power and skill. Despite his familiarity with his power, the body of Minamino Shuichi was not as strong as his previous one, which had been altered by the Syndicate. He was no longer able to channel as much power as he had once before.

Kurama had trained alongside the two boys for a time and grown to enjoy their company. While they knew of his past, Kurama suspected that it wasn't quite real for them. They knew him only as the redheaded Minamino Shuichi, and that was how they saw him. The truth was, that while they knew he had once been Kurama, they had never actually met Kurama. Kurama fervently hoped that they never would.


	7. Chapter 7

The words on the page of the book Hiei was reading blurred. He couldn't believe how mind-numbingly bored he was. He sat alone at a table in the library, a random novel he'd taken from a shelf he'd passed sitting open on the table in front of him. He was only pretending to read it. In actuality, he was waiting for Minamino.

He was fully aware that he could simply approach Minamino in the halls of the campus but he didn't want to rouse Minamino's suspicion. He was supposed to be a student at this university and he had to be seen to be doing some work.

Minamino always spent some time at the library during the afternoons after his last class. Sometimes he just borrowed or returned books. Sometimes he met a fellow student he was tutoring or sometimes he studied. Hiei intended to intercept him here.

He had no idea what he would say to him. What did you say to someone you'd just had amazing sex with?

Hiei leaned back in his chair and closed the book. He rubbed his eyes as if he could somehow scrub away the memories filling his mind with that action. Did Minamino regret it? Had he been disappointed with Hiei? He'd seemed okay the previous morning, but he had also left pretty quickly. Was that a bad sign?

Hiei buried his head in his hands. This was ridiculous. Soon none of it would matter. Soon Minamino would disappear from his life. And his mother's.

Hiei felt sick. He'd been trying not to think about Ms. Minamino and how she would react to her son's disappearance. She'd been so kind and he was about to take away her only child. As if he didn't feel bad enough about betraying Minamino already.

"Hiei? Are you okay?"

A familiar voice roused Hiei from his depressing thoughts. He looked up to see Minamino hovering beside him, staring down at him with a worried expression.

"Headache?" he asked sympathetically. "You should take a break."

"Ah, yeah. I was done already," Hiei said awkwardly. What had he been doing? His mind was captivated by Minamino's kind smile and deep green eyes filled with understanding.

Oh, right. He'd been doing nothing.

He stood. "I have to put this back," he muttered.

Minamino followed him as he returned the book to its shelf. In his arms he held three thick volumes. Hiei wondered if they were for his classes or if they were recreational. He had noticed that Minamino read. A lot.

"I am glad to see you here," Minamino said as he approached the checkout counter. The young man sitting behind it took the books with a bored expression and scanned them, along with Minamino's ID. "I wanted to ask you if you wanted to join me for a coffee this afternoon. My classes are finished for the day."

"Sure," Hiei said. Minamino took his books back and they exited the library. There was a crisp breeze blowing through the campus. Minamino was wearing a orange jacket over his dress shirt, the colour of which Hiei couldn't look at for too long. He privately felt it was horrible but didn't have the heart to inform Minamino of that fact. His own jacket was black, which, in his opinion, was a much safer choice. You couldn't go wrong with black. Plus it didn't show the bloodstains.

"I have to go to my locker first and get my bag," Minamino informed him as they walked along the paved path to the main building. "We can leave after that. I know a small place near here."

Hiei nodded. He noticed that a lot of the students passing by them were staring at the two of them. It made him uncomfortable.

Minamino retrieved his bag from his locker and tucked the books into it. He slung the strap over his shoulder and they walked back out into the cool air.

"This place is new but I have heard good things about it," Minamino told him. "It is quite conveniently located."

"Sounds promising," Hiei responded. The uncomfortable feeling had not left him. In fact, it seemed to be getting worse. He was no longer sure if the other students' curiosity was the cause of it. He eyed the people they passed suspiciously, only half-listening to Minamino.

He froze when a familiar figure caught his eye. His stomach twisted sickeningly.

"Hiei?" Minamino shook his arm lightly. "Hiei?"

The man Hiei was staring at met his eyes and smirked. He raised his hand in greeting. His long, unruly hair blew around his pale face.

"Do you know him?" Minamino asked.

Yes. "N-no," Hiei stammered out. The man melted into the crowd of students, his long brown coat flapping around his lanky frame.

Ani Toguro. What was he doing here? Did Yomi send him?

Stupid question. Of course Yomi sent him. And if Ani was here, then his brother was also here as well. Somewhere. The two were always together.

"Hiei?" Minamino's voice was sharp with worry.

"It's nothing. Never mind." Hiei tried to get his bearings. He couldn't deal with the Toguros right now. He had to focus. "Let's go try out that cafe," he said decisively. He started walking towards the campus gate. Minamino stared after him for a moment, confused, before jogging to catch up with him. He gave Hiei a suspicious frown.

"What was that about?" he demanded. "Are you in some kind of trouble with that man?"

"No," Hiei snapped. His heart began to race. He could see the fragile spiderweb of lies he'd woven begin to fray. The Toguros were bad news, in so many ways. They were ruthless killers. They took the dirtiest, most reprehensible jobs that the Syndicate had. And they always completed them. Always. Their presence was a very bad sign.

The possibility that Yomi might have sent them to check up on Hiei floated through his mind but he knew that couldn't be true. Yomi could have sent anyone to do that. To send the Toguros on such a mundane mission was laughable.

Which meant that they were probably here for Minamino. Yomi must have given them the same contract that he'd given Hiei. His sweet compliments during their meeting had been bullshit.

A surge of anger went through Hiei. This was one of those times when he absolutely fucking hated his employers. They were sleazy, manipulative, twisted bastards.

But was he any different? After all, he was lying to Minamino.

"Hiei!"

A hand grabbed his arm and yanked hard, pulling him back. Hiei swayed as he tried to regain his balance. The back of his heel hit the curb just behind him and he let out a curse. Once his feet were firmly planted on the ground he turned to glare at Minamino.

"What the fuck?" he snapped.

Minamino's face was white. "Excuse me?" he demanded. There was a tremor in his voice, belying his sharp words. He removed his hand from Hiei's arm and Hiei rubbed the spot, wincing. His heart was racing and his breaths were coming in short pants.

"You scared the shit out of me," he said through clenched teeth.

"I-" Minamino gaped at him. "I scared you?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes!" Hiei snapped. "What's wrong with you?"

"Wrong with me?" Minamino looked stunned, as if someone had just slapped him. "Do you even know what just happened?" he demanded.

"Yeah. You grabbed me," Hiei snapped. "You can't just do that to people-"

"Stop it." There was a sharp command in Minamino's voice that Hiei had never heard before. He froze, meeting Minamino's hard gaze. His eyes looked like glittering emeralds and his mouth was set into a thin line. He was angry. Hiei found himself taking a step back.

"You were about to walk out into traffic," Minamino informed him, his tone uncompromisingly blunt. His words sent a cold chill through Hiei's veins. He turned to look at the street he'd been about to cross. Cars whizzed past in a steady stream. Hiei gulped. He turned back to Minamino, who still wore the same hard expression on his face.

"I'm sorry," he said, feeling ashamed. "Thank you."

Minamino gave a small nod. He looked somewhat mollified but Hiei doubted that this was the end of it.

Minamino had just been trying to help him but he'd responded with rudeness. He was a mess. He had to resolve this soon.

-0-

Hiei was relieved when Minamino's mood seemed to improve when he got his tea. Hiei decided to ask him about the books he'd borrowed from the library, feeling that it was a safe topic. Minamino dug one of them out of his bag and showed it to Hiei.

"What is it?" hiei asked, eyeing the cover. The image of a pretty purple flower adorned it.

"It is about poisons that are made from plants," Minamino told him.

"Aren't you studying business?" Hiei asked, confused. It seemed like an odd topic for recreational reading to him.

"Yes, but plants are a hobby of mine," Minamino informed him, tucking the book back into his bag.

"What was that flower on the cover?" Hiei asked. He had no interest in plants but the poisons did intrigue him.

Minamino's lips tilted into a small, amused smile. "Foxglove," he said. "it is highly toxic and can cause hallucinations."

"Cool," Hiei said. He had never used poisons in his work and didn't know if any of the other Syndicate employees did either. He tried to avoid his colleagues as much as possible. Most of them were twisted and disturbed individuals. Hiei was sure that some of them were even insane.

"It is rather interesting," Minamino agreed.

After leaving the cafe, Minamino bid farewell and left in the direction of the train station. Hiei watched him until he turned a corner and vanished from his sight. A part of him wanted to go after Minamino. But Minamino would find that suspicious. Sighing, Hiei turned away.

And bumped straight into a rock hard chest. Hiei gulped as he looked up into twin dark pools. Otto Toguro.

The large man towered over Hiei, a full head taller than him. His physique was impressive, his muscles well-defined beneath his t-shirt. His eyes were concealed behind black sunglasses. One of his mammoth hands came to rest on Hiei's shoulder.

"You're taking too long," Toguro told him, his voice gruff and deep.

Straight to the point. Hiei swallowed. "I'm working on it," he said defensively.

"The goat is impatient," Toguro informed him. "We're taking over."

"No," Hiei said desperately. "I can do it." His heart raced as he thought about what could happen to Minamino in the hands of these monsters. The younger brother would probably not hurt Minamino too badly. Probably. But the older brother liked to play with his prey. He enjoyed watching them suffer.

"Don't worry," Toguro assured him, misreading Hiei's plea. "This won't be held against you. Yomi understands that this is a difficult job, particularly for one with limited experience. You really aren't properly equipped for it anyway. Just go home and take a few days off. Come back in next week and Yomi will have a new job for you."

Just walk away. Forget about it. Let the Toguros deal with Minamino. It sounded easy. It would fix all his problems. So why did his feet feel heavy as lead, rooted to the concrete? Why couldn't he get enough air into his lungs?

Toguro's large hand left his shoulder. "Take care of yourself, Hiei," he said as he walked away. In the direction of the train station, Hiei noted, his gut twisting.

It was some time before he found the will to get his feet to move. Every step felt as though he were walking deeper and deeper into quicksand. He was drowning in visions of Minamino laying in a broken heap on the pavement, a pool of dark red liquid beneath him, his eyes wide and terrified. Minamino strapped to a metal table in a cold featureless room, Ichigaki standing over him with a large sharp blade, staring at Minamino with a crazed, greedy look in his eyes.

Ms. Minamino, cooking dinner for two in her kitchen, patiently waiting for her son to come home. Her son, who would never come home.

A cold numbness crept through Hiei's veins. He kept walking, putting one foot in front of the other. People passed him by, oblivious to his torment. Going about their business, utterly unaware of the darkness that was the Syndicate, corrupting and twisting everything it touched. Hiei wished he were one of them. How simple would his life be?

Minamino's world was about to come crashing down around him and Hiei could do nothing but watch it happen. Or was there something he could do?


	8. Chapter 8

Kurama sat on his still-made bed in his dark room. The curtains were pulled, holding back the moonlight. The outline of his rose bush was stark black against the fabric.

"I don't get it."

Yusuke's voice floated out of the phone pressed against Kurama's ear.

"If you think he's out to get you, then why are you still seeing him?"

Yusuke sounded very disgruntled, and Kurama couldn't blame him. Put like that, it sounded about as sensible as putting one's head inside a tiger's mouth.

"Yusuke," he said patiently. "For one thing, he may be innocent. Perhaps he looked me up online because he was attracted to me. Perhaps he had the pills because he was planning on drugging me and having his way with me-"

"Dude, okay, no more," Yusuke pleaded. "I get it."

Kurama continued on, as if he hadn't heard Yusuke. "That is creepy, yes, but hardly murderous," he said. "If I continue to act as though I suspect nothing, Hiei may make a move that will reveal his intentions."

"I think you're making a mistake," Yusuke grumbled. "If you wait too long, you might find yourself backed into a corner that you can't get out of."

"That is a risk," Kurama acknowledged. "But I still feel that this is the best course of action."

"Yeah." Yusuke was silent for a moment before he spoke again. "I guess I can't talk you out of it," he said, resigned. "Just remember that we're here to help you. We've got your back."

"Thank you, Yusuke," Kurama said. Yusuke had expressed a similar sentiment at the temple but Kurama appreciated having it repeated. It was reassuring.

"I'd better go," Yusuke told him. "Keiko just got in."

"Good night, Yusuke," Kurama said.

"I doubt it," Yusuke muttered. Then he said, "See ya, man," and hung up the phone.

Kurama stared down at the mobile phone in his hands. Should he risk it? Was he certain enough? He was only supposed to call Koenma directly if there was an emergency.

Kurama hadn't been completely honest with Yusuke. He had noticed something odd, but wasn't quite sure if it had anything to do with Hiei or not.

The niggling sensation that something wasn't right had dogged his steps all the way home. He felt as if someone was staring at the back of his head. The feeling had not disappeared until he'd stepped inside his house.

He hadn't felt like this since his time working for the Syndicate. He had stretched his senses out, searching for any energy signatures but he'd felt nothing out of the ordinary. Yet his instincts screamed at him that he was being hunted.

He almost dropped the phone when it vibrated in his hands. The familiar sound of his ringtone pierced the air, sounding much louder than normal in the silent room.

Kurama checked the screen. Hiei. What could Hiei possibly want at this time of the evening? They'd been together just a few hours ago.

He answered the call, keeping his voice low. Even so, it still echoed uncomfortably loud in the still bedroom.

"Hello?" he said.

"Minamino?" Hiei's voice sounded relieved. "You made it home?"

Kurama's heart skipped a beat. What an odd question. He was careful with his answer. "Of course I did," he said, injecting a note of confusion in his tone. "As I have every other day."

There was silence on the other end of the line. Finally Hiei said, "I need to talk to you."

His voice sounded strange, as if the words weighed heavy on his tongue.

"Yes?" Kurama asked cautiously.

"Are you free tomorrow morning?" Hiei inquired.

"I was planning on going to the campus and finishing an assignment in the library," Kurama told him. "I have an afternoon class. But, if this is important…" He left the sentence hanging.

"It is," Hiei said.

"Then I will meet you tomorrow morning," Kurama said. "Perhaps we can meet at the cafe we went-"

"No!" Hiei cut Kurama off harshly. His voice sounded panicked. Kurama heard him take a deep breath. "No," he said, quieter and more controlled this time. "Come to my apartment."

Kurama felt uneasy. They would be together, alone. The last time he was there, Hiei had tried to drug him. Was this a ruse to get him in a vulnerable position? Was Hiei setting him up so his allies could take him down?

But what if it wasn't a ruse? What if Hiei really did have something important to tell him?

Well, sometimes the only way to dismantle a trap was to spring it. "All right," Kurama told Hiei. "I will be there at nine."

"Thank you," Hiei breathed out.

"Good night, Hiei."

"Good night, Minamino."

Kurama sat on his bed staring at his rose bush for several minutes, his mind whirling with possibilities and plans. This could be totally innocent, but it would be beyond foolish to walk in there without some kind of weapon.

He stood and walked over to the windowsill. He stroked one of the delicate soft petals of a rose with his fingertip. It had been a while since he'd wielded this particular weapon. A small part of him was actually looking forward to it.

Beautiful and deadly. It had been his favourite in his previous life. His enemies were about to learn that, just like the roses he kept, he had thorns as well.

-0-

Hiei paced his living room anxiously. His stomach was twisted into knots. How did he start this conversation? How do you tell someone that you're an assassin who was sent to abduct them?

Minamino watched Hiei pace from his position sitting on the sofa. An untouched cup of coffee sat on the table before him. His eyes followed Hiei from one side of the room to the other. Hiei wished that he would say something. Anything. Anything to make this easier. To give him some kind of direction.

But Minamino was being infuriatingly patient. He remained silent, a small frown on his face.

Hiei finally managed to stop his nervous pacing and turn towards Minamino but he still couldn't meet his eyes.

"I have something to tel you," he said.

"I believe we have covered that," Minamino said dryly. "That is why I am here, after all."

"I-I…"

Again, Minamino waited, his legs were crossed with his hands linked together over his knee.

"Have you… ever heard of the Syndicate?" Hiei asked cautiously.

Minamino's eyes widened. His lips formed a thin line and his posture tensed. Hiei was surprised by his reaction. He had only intended the question to serve as a starting point. He had expected a negative answer from Minamino.

"I have… heard of them," Minamino said cautiously. He reached up to play with his hair, his face an expressionless mask. "May I ask what your involvement with them is?"

"How do you know about them?" Hiei demanded. Did he have this all wrong? Was Minamino truly not as normal as he seemed?

"I will not answer that." Minamino's voice was hard, allowing no room for argument. "How are you involved with them?"

Hiei took a deep breath. "I work for them," he said.

"I had suspected as much." Minamino's tone was sad. "Though I had hoped I was wrong. I take it that I have been targeted?"

"Yes," Hiei said quietly. The look of disappointment Minamino wore was making him feel sick.

"Why are you telling me?" Minamino asked. He shifted so that both his feet rested on the carpet.

"Because… I can't do this." Hiei ran his hand through his hair and started to pace again. "It's not right. I…"

"Did they order you to kill me?" Minamino asked.

"No. I was supposed to bring you in. That's all." That's all. As if that weren't bad enough. Hiei wanted to laugh.

"Have you killed others for them?"

The question made Hiei freeze. He felt bile rise in his throat. "Yes. I- I had to. I-" He had a sudden urge to explain himself, try to justify his actions. But his words fell into silence. He had no idea what to say.

Minamino's eyes were as hard and unfeeling as emeralds. "You had to," he said, and there was a disgusted note in his voice. "That is no excuse."

He was right. Hiei turned away from Minamino, unable to bear the judgement in his eyes. Minamino's voice continued, coming from behind him, cold and merciless.

"Have the decency to own up to your sins and take responsibility for them. Don't make excuses. You owe your victims that much, at least."

Gone was the sweet, kind, normal Minamino Shuichi. In his place was someone Hiei didn't recognise. He couldn't believe that this person had been lurking behind those polite smiles this whole time. What a fool he'd been.

But Minamino was right. He had to take responsibility for his actions. He couldn't change what had happened in the past, but he did have control over his future.

"I'm not your biggest problem," he said, still turned away from Minamino. "There are others who were sent after you as well. Two brothers."

"Thank you for the warning. I think I will take my leave now."

Behind him, Minamino stood. Hiei heard his footsteps pad softly across the carpet as he walked into the hall. As he heard his apartment door shut, he turned. The painting of the dragon hanging on the wall caught his eye. Its own red eyes were cold, seeming to accuse him as Minamino's had.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. The words sounded weak and pathetic in the silent apartment. He held up his hand and stared at it. He reached for his energy, warm and soothing. It spread through his veins and into his hand. It faintly glowed red. Hiei closed his fingers into a fist and dismissed the energy.

What now? He couldn't go back to the Syndicate. But if he didn't, then they would come after him. He was wrapped up in their tangled web and unable to escape.

Hiei sighed and reached down to retrieve Minamino's untouched and still-warm coffee cup from the table, intending to take it into the kitchen. But as his fingers wrapped around the handle, Hiei noticed that there was a piece of paper poking out from underneath it.

Curiously, Hiei reached down and picked it up, setting the cup back down. It looked as if it had been torn from a small notepad.

 _If you truly desire a way out, call this number._

Below the words was a number with a local area code. Hiei had never seen Minamino's handwriting but it had to be him who had written the note. The letters were neatly and precisely printed, which seemed to suit his personality.

Was this a way out? Or a trap?

So what if it was. What did he have to lose?

Hiei went into the kitchen and picked his phone up from the island counter. He input the numbers into the digital keypad.

-0-

Kurama felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end as he walked out of the train station. He was on his way to the university campus to make a start on his assignment. He was sure that he would not have enough time to finish it, but he hoped to get something done today at least.

He tried not to show his discomfort. No sense in tipping off his hunters. They had to be the brothers Hiei had been referring to. It had been decent of him, to give Kurama a heads-up.

Kurama's mind drifted back to their conversation. He was very disappointed to have his suspicions finally confirmed. This wasn't how he'd hoped this would go. He'd genuinely enjoyed Hiei's company. He liked teasing the usually stoic young man.

Hiei's admission was a promising sign but he had a long way to go before Kurama could feel secure in trusting him again.

He hoped that Hiei would call the number he'd left for him. It would put him in touch with Koenma, who would, in turn, attempt to help Hiei extract himself from the Syndicate's sticky clutches. Koenma would be very pleased to have another source of information on his arch-enemies.

Until Hiei straightened himself out, Kurama had no intention of allowing their relationship to develop further. It would place his mother in far too much danger. He simply couldn't risk it.

Kurama turned down into a deserted street. He knew that this was a dicey part of his route. If his hunters were ever to strike, it would be here.

Closed and shuttered shops lined the road. There had been a bad fire here recently and the businesses were all closed until they could be rebuilt. Kurama swore that he could still smell ash in the air.

He tensed, shoulders stiffening as he heard footsteps behind him. Heavy footsteps. Kurama kept his pace even and unhurried. He reached up, retrieving a small seed from his hair, just in case.

Then someone stepped out of an alley and stopped on the sidewalk in front of him, turning to face him. The man wore a long brown coat and a hat pulled low. His long hair stuck out from under the hat. He frowned at Kurama.

"Doesn't look like much, Otto," he commented, his voice reedy and thin.

Kurama stood there, eyeing him warily. There was a certain look in his eyes that Kurama didn't like. There was something very wrong with this man.

"It would be wise not to judge a book by its cover," a deep voice said from behind Kurama.

Kurama clenched his hand into a fist around the seed he held. He turned to the side and backed up against the cracked window of the shop behind him. He could see both speakers now. One was large and the other was slim. One was dark-skinned and the other pale. Were these the brothers Hiei had warned him about? They looked nothing alike.

"Our boss wants a word with you," the slim man's high voice sneered. "Be a good little fox and come quietly."

"I have no idea who you are," Kurama said evenly. "I have no idea who your boss is or what they want with me. You have the wrong person."

The slim man laughed. "Nice try, fox. But we know who you are."

"This does not have to be difficult," the large man said. "Just come quietly and you won't be hurt."

Kurama had a strong sense that the man was telling the truth about that. But he knew his cooperation would make no difference to what would happen to him when he was in the Syndicate's slimy hands. Yomi would not be merciful, even if Kurama walked in there waving a white flag. The events that transpired during their last meeting had ensured that.

"I think… things will have to be difficult," Kurama said quietly. He held up his hand and summoned his energy. The seed he held between his fingers grew into a perfect red rose.

The large man looked disappointed but the other man looked positively gleeful. His eyes held a crazed gleam.

"Come on," he sneered. "Show us what you've got."

He lunged at Kurama. Kurama's rose turned into a whip and he slashed it at his attacker. It struck, unnaturally sharp thorns ripping through flesh, sending a spray of blood into the air. The man let out a yell of pain and stumbled to the side, towards the other man. Kurama had slashed his chest and part of his arm. He held his arm, glaring balefully at Kurama.

"Bastard," he hissed.

"I tried to warn you," the large man said, a mild note of amusement in his voice.

"Shut up!" the pale man snapped, his voice rising in pitch. "I'm going to crush him."

"We need him alive, you idiot!" the other man snapped.

"I don't care," the slim man retorted. He straightened, removing his hand from his arm. He ripped off his coat and carelessly used it to clean the blood from his arm. Kurama stared, horrified as he realised that the wound he had caused was gone. Already healed. He was going to need more than his rose whip for this fight. Luckily, he had a few more tricks up his sleeve.

But nothing was certain. He was entirely in the dark about the capabilities of his enemies. One of them had already demonstrated a supernatural ability. What could the other one do.

The slim man sneered at Kurama. "Good as new," he said. "Your little toy doesn't work on me."

He moved again and Kurama lashed out. He was reluctant to move from his position, as the wall gave him cover for his back. Against two opponents, that was important. He didn't want one of them sneaking up behind him.

This time Kurama aimed for a fatal blow. He was done fooling around. The whip slashed right through the man's neck, severing it from his body. It fell onto the pavement with a sickening sound. The body followed a moment after, sprawling limply on the sidewalk.

Kurama eyed the other man warily, wondering what he would do. The man removed his sunglasses, tucking them into his pocket. He stared down at the body of his… brother? Kurama still wasn't sure.

"Was that really necessary?" he asked, his tone bland.

The puddle of thick red blood slowly expanding from the severed neck had almost reached Kurama's feet. He edged away from it before it could touch his shoes. The smell of death assaulted his nostrils. He had not experienced it since his old life and he didn't miss it.

"You came after me," Kurama pointed out.

"True," the large man agreed. "But I think I have been rather reasonable so far, wouldn't you agree?"

"Not particularly," Kurama responded.

The man sighed. "Yomi did say that you would be difficult," he muttered. "Well, then…"

He advanced on Kurama. Kurama flicked the whip out again. But the man caught it, his big hand wrapping around it. Blood dripped from his fist but he gave no sign of being in pain.

"You're outmatched, boy," he said gruffly. His other hand shot out and wrapped itself around Kurama's neck. He lifted Kurama off his feet, his legs dangling in the air. Kurama choked desperately as his air was cut off. The man watched him with cold, impassive eyes.

Kurama's hands scrabbled uselessly at the man's arm, then his clothes in a desperate attempt to free himself. The man's grip only tightened. His expression remained completely blank.

Kurama reached for his energy. This wasn't over. He sent it into one of the seeds he'd dropped at his feet just a little earlier. The concrete of the sidewalk cracked and burst as a large purple flower shot up out of the ground. Its petals parted to reveal a gaping mouth lined with needle-sharp teeth.

The man dropped Kurama, turning to face the new threat. But he wasn't fast enough. The plant's head snapped forward. It swallowed the man down to his waist and lifted him into the air. His legs kicked out uselessly.

Kurama coughed uncontrollably, his hand pressed lightly against his neck. He knew that, at the very least, it would bruise badly. He was certain that the damage was worse than that, however. And he could sense another presence nearby, approaching quickly.

Kurama decided it would be best to retreat. There was a possibility that the approaching person had nothing to do with these brothers but he couldn't take the chance. He scrambled to his feet, his body racked with coughs. He ran down the street, his heart beating so fast that it was practically jumping out of his chest. Just before he reached the corner, he turned to look back. Just in time to see the bottom of his plant explode. A bloody shower of petals followed as the sharp scent of gunpowder met Kurama's nose. He ran as fast as his legs could carry him.

This was too big for him to handle. He needed help.


	9. Chapter 9

Kurama decided that it would be prudent not to go to the university. He instead returned to the train station. The trip out to the temple would take most of the day but Kurama knew that it would be the best place for him right now.

He wrapped his jacket tightly around himself as he sat on the train. He turned the collar up to hide the bruising forming on his throat. He knew that there was some serious damage as it ached terribly and he could barely speak.

the walk up the long staircase took him longer than usual. He was sorely tempted to stop and rest when he reached the top, but he knew that a hot meal and a soft bed was not far away.

Botan met him as he stepped into the temple, looking pleased to see him. But it quickly turned to worry as she noticed that there was something wrong.

"Kurama!" she exclaimed. She rushed towards him, grabbing at his shoulders. "What happened?"

"L-later," Kurama managed to croak out. Botan's hands moved over him, checking for damage. When she pulled his collar away from his neck, she gasped.

"Oh, Kurama, come and sit down. I'll fix that right up."

Kurama breathed a sigh of relief as he was towed into the kitchen. Botan sat him on one of the stools and proceeded to heal his throat. At her soft touch, the pain began to fade. When her hand left his throat, he took several deep breaths.

"Thank you," he said gratefully.

"It's no trouble at all," she assured him. "Now, please tell me what happened?" She cocked her head to the side slightly and made a pleading face.

A smile tugged at Kurama's lips. "Is Master Genkai here? Perhaps it would be better to discuss it with everyone present."

Botan frowned. "She's here," she admitted. "But she's speaking with Koenma." She looked uneasy, her gaze traveling in the direction of the living room. Whatever discussion was going on, Kurama guessed that it was taking place in there.

"Why is Koenma here?" Kurama asked curiously. In his experience, Koenma rarely visited the temple. He had to have some reason for showing up now.

Botan moved around the island and began to gather the implements for making tea.

"Someone showed up today," she told him. "It was quite unexpected. He said that Koenma told him to come here. And then Koenma turned up. They're with Genkai and Yusuke now." A worried frown crossed her face. "I don't think Yusuke is very happy about whatever they're talking about."

"I wonder… what did the visitor look like?" Kurama asked.

"Oh, he was quite handsome," Botan told him. "Tall, dark and very mysterious."

Kurama smiled at her description. "Did he introduce himself?" he asked.

"Ah… I think his name was… " Botan tapped her chin with her finger as she thought. "Hei?" she asked.

"Hiei?" Kurama questioned.

"Oh, that's it!" Botan said with a bright smile. "Do you know him?"

"Yes. I am the person who gave him Koenma's contact information," Kurama admitted.

"No one tells me anything," Botan grumbled. She poured Kurama a cup of tea and he took it, savouring the warmth in his hands.

"You are invaluable, Botan," Kurama assured her. "No one is deliberately excluding you."

A hopeful expression came onto Botan's face. She leaned forward. "So you'll tell me what happened to you?" she asked.

Kurama sighed. He supposed that he owed her an explanation, as she had healed his injury.

"I was attacked by members of the Syndicate," he said.

Botan moved around the island to give him a hug. "Oh, you must have been so scared. I'm so glad you're okay."

"Thank you." Kurama stood, extracting himself gently from her hug. "Perhaps I should make my presence known to the others." He took his tea and made his way to the living room, following the sound of soft voices.

Four people sat on cushions around a low table. Cups of tea sat in front of them but no one seemed to have touched them. Hiei sat across from Koenma and was staring him down with a wary expression.

Yusuke waved Kurama into the room when he saw him standing in the doorway.

"Hey, man," he said. "Fancy you dropping in now. Come and sit down."

Kurama joined the group, sitting beside Koenma. Hiei's eyes traveled to him, his mouth turning down in a frown. Papers littered the table and Kurama looked over them curiously. He noticed that there were some photos mixed in with the documents and he used one finger to slide one of them over to himself. He bit back a smile when he saw that the photo was of Hiei. He was walking down the street and dressed much like he was now, right down to the bandana, though he was obviously years younger. And a good deal shorter.

Koenma turned to look Kurama over while his attention was still focused on the photograph, his brown eyes studying the reddhead. "I understand that I have you to thank for this," he said.

"It seems that way," Kurama agreed. Hiei was now giving him a measuring look.

"What happened to you?" he demanded.

Kurama gave him an innocent and confused look. "Excuse me?" he asked.

Hiei raised one finger to point at him. "There's blood on your shirt," he said.

Kurama glanced down to see that there was a small splatter of blood on his white shirt. He hadn't even noticed it.

"I met those brothers you mentioned," Kurama informed him.

"And?" Genkai asked sharply.

Kurama didn't want to admit the next part, but the four of them were all staring at him now, waiting for him to continue.

"I am afraid that I had some difficulty with them," he said. "I think I killed one but the other is probably still alive. I suspect that there is a third person assisting them, also."

Hiei's frown deepened and his brow creased beneath his bandana.

"Which one?" he asked.

"Hmm?" Kurama inquired.

"Which one did you kill? The big one or the skinny one?"

"The latter," Kurama informed him.

"He's not dead," Hiei said flatly. "He can heal rapidly and regenerate his body. He's almost immortal."

"That is a shame," Kurama said. So there were still three people after him. "Perhaps we could discuss the abilities of the other brother as well? That information will prove useful."

"Later," Koenma said, waving his hand in the air and drawing their attention to him. "First, I want to know if you can tell me where the Syndicate is getting the gems that they are selling to fund their operations."

"I have no idea," Hiei said testily. "I wasn't exactly working in the accounting department."

Koenma gave a disappointed sigh. "I was hoping that you would have more useful information that this," he admitted.

"Excuse me?" Yusuke cut in, his tone irritated. "Can we get back to the bastards who attacked Kurama, please?" He turned his gaze to Hiei, his eyes accusatory. "And you can explain just what the fuck you had to do with this, shorty."

Kurama held back his smile again as Hiei bristled at the new nickname. But then he seemed to take in what Yusuke had said and his irritation faded.

"Kurama?" he asked, looking confused. "Who is Kurama?"

Yusuke's scowl deepened as he realised that Hiei was ignoring him.

"He is referring to me," Kurama told Hiei. "It is a… nickname of sorts. I will explain later."

"You don't have to explain anything to that bastard," Yusuke snapped.

Hiei nodded in response to Kurama. He picked up his cup of tea and took a sip. He immediately grimaced and set it back down.

"I'm not sure who the third member of the group is," he told them. "The Toguros usually work alone. Yomi must want you really bad."

"This person made one of my plants explode," Kurama informed him.

"Plants?" Hiei asked.

Kurama smiled smugly. "Botany is more than a hobby for me."

"No kidding," Yusuke muttered. Hiei looked between the two of them, interested.

"Again, that is a conversation for a later time," Kurama said. "Do you know who the third party might be, Hiei?"

"Could be… Karasu?" Hiei murmured, after a moment's thought. "He can make things explode, even from a distance."

"And the other brother?" Kurama asked. "He seems to be possessed of supernatural strength."

Hiei nodded. "Yeah. That's his main ability. But I'm not sure. The Syndicate might have… enhanced him further. I mean, they don't just stop their experiments when they unlock our abilities."

"Bastards," Yusuke said with feeling. "Who the hell died and made them God?"

"Yusuke," Genkai said warningly. Her gaze went to Koenma, who suddenly looked uncomfortable.

"Well, it's true," Yusuke snapped. "Even if the guy in charge is Koenma's father, he's still a bastard."

Kurama saw Hiei's crimson eyes widen as he studied Koenma with renewed interest.

Genkai hit Yusuke over the head, nocking him into the table. His tea was knocked over, it's contents spilling over the surface.

"Hey!" he protested, glaring at her.

Koenma's hand hastily swept out, rescuing his papers from the ever-growing puddle of tea.

"Enough of this," Genkai sighed. "Hiei can't leave here. It won't take long for the Syndicate to realise that he's given us information. Kurama, you should stay here as well. I will have Kuwabara check up on your mother."

"Thank you," Kurama said with relief. He knew that his mother would be safe with his friend watching over her. Kuwabara's spiritual sense was even better than his own.

"It's late. I think we all need a good night's sleep. We'll continue this tomorrow."

Hiei looked relieved, as did Yusuke. Yusuke leaned back, stretching his arms over his head.

"Great," he said. "I'm bushed."

Genkai glared at him. "Clean up that mess, you useless brat." She pointed at the spilled tea.

"What!" Yusuke demanded incredulously. "It wasn't my fault!"

Hiei rose from his cushion and left the room. Kurama followed him, leaving his half-empty teacup on the table.

Hiei stood on the porch, staring out into the courtyard. Kurama stood beside him, close enough to feel his body heat but not actually touching him.

"I am glad you came here," he said.

Hiei's eyes remained on the dark trees. "Yeah… thanks," he said.

"Master Genkai is a powerful psychic," Kurama informed him. "You should speak to her about your abilities, if you have any. She can help you."

Hiei wrapped his arms around himself. "I don't need any help," he said. "I have it under control."

Kurama let the subject drop, not wanting to push Hiei. Just getting him here was a very large step in the right direction.

"I'm kind of impressed."

Kurama turned to stare at Hiei, surprised by his words. "Impressed?" he asked.

"You confronted the Toguros and walked away from it," Hiei said. He turned to meet Kurama's eyes with his own. "Most don't." There was conviction in his voice.

"I am not 'most'," Kurama said.

"Yeah. I'm starting to see that," Hiei muttered, turning back to the courtyard.

-0-

After Minamino reentered the temple, Hiei remained outside. He didn't feel as though he belonged with this group. They had obviously known each other for a long time and Hiei felt like an outsider.

At least Minamino didn't seem to be angry with him, though he had reason to be. He was grateful for Minamino's suggestion of contacting Koenma but it also felt a lot like running away from his problems. He doubted that the Syndicate would simply just let him walk away without some kind of reprisal.

Then there was Minamino. Or, rather, Kurama. They wanted him badly. Badly enough to send their best operatives after him. The redhead's problems were only just beginning.

The question of why Yomi had chosen not to inform Hiei of how dangerous Minamino truly was also bothered Hiei. Had he been intended to be only a diversion, an obstacle to keep Minamino distracted while the Toguros closed in on him?

Hiei was surprised by Yomi's cunning. That was clever, and, before now, he would not have credited the goat with that kind of intelligence.

He was also very insulted that he had been deemed worthless enough to be used as a sacrifice. That bastard.

The smell of cigar smoke alerted him to the fact that he wasn't alone and he turned to see the short form of the old woman standing beside him. He'd never even heard her approach.

"What did they do to you?" she asked.

"The Syndicate?" Hiei inquired.

"Of course, idiot." She blew a puff of smoke into the air.

Hiei turned back to the view, considering where to start. He remembered what Minamino had said about the old woman being a psychic. What did she want from him?

"I've always had an affinity for fire," he said. "They… enhanced it."

"And?" the old lady asked.

"And what?" Hiei asked, his gut twisting uncomfortably.

"There's something under that bandana, boy. I can sense it," she snapped.

Hiei really didn't want to talk about it. He was sensitive about his third eye. The implantation had been the most traumatic and nightmarish experience of his life. Doctor Ichigaki had lied to him, an act that he was still bitter about, even years later. He'd told Hiei that it was a minor procedure and that it wouldn't affect him in any significant way. He'd been so wrong about that.

And it hadn't worked as well as Ichigaki had hoped. Hiei had never really fully mastered it. He wasn't even completely sure what the capabilities of the jagan were.

With a resigned sigh, he reached up and removed the cloth covering his forehead. The eye opened slowly, its colour a murky purple. Hiei felt his arm start to tingle underneath his sleeve and he rubbed it.

The old woman stared at the eye, meeting its unearthly gaze unflinchingly. "I see it works independently of your natural eyes," she said.

"Yeah. It was… implanted," Hiei told her.

"Hmm. That figures," she muttered. "When will they learn? Implants never function very well. The body naturally rejects them."

"Can it be removed?" Hiei asked hopefully. He closed the eye and covered it with the bandana again. He could feel the eyelid straining against his will, trying to stay open. He grimaced and forced it to remained closed. After several seconds, he felt it surrender to his will.

"Unlikely," Genkai said, dashing his hopes with that one word. "You've clearly had it for some time. It has, somewhat, adjusted to you, meshed with your energy. Removing it might kill you."

"Then what's the fucking point of this?" Hiei snapped angrily. "If you can't fix me then-"

"Who said anything about fixing you?" Genkai grumbled.

Hiei stared at her. "Isn't that what you do?" he asked. "Koenma said-"

"What? You thought that I was going to make you normal?" Genkai snorted. "Do you think Kurama is normal? Do you think Yusuke and Botan are normal? They are not. They have learned to control their abilities. They have learned to fit in with normal society despite their differences."

Hiei took a step back, his mind whirling. He'd always thought that he'd never be able to fit in with normal society because of his abilities. That was what the Syndicate had always told him, and the others they experimented on. That they would never be normal. That they needed the Syndicate to look after them. He'd always believed that a normal life was out of his reach.

"I don't 'fix' anyone," Genkai said quietly. "You don't need to be fixed. You need to learn how to properly use what you have."

"I know how to use it," Hiei said defensively.

"You know how to use it to kill," Genkai pointed out. "Can you use your fire to heat a cup of tea just by holding it? Can you use it to cauterise a wound?"

"No," Hiei admitted quietly. "Do you… think I could do that?"

"That and maybe a lot more," the old woman told him. "There's only one way to find out." She crossed her arms behind her back and gave him an expectant look.

Hiei didn't really need to take any time to consider his options. It wasn't like he had anything better to do anyway.

"Fine," he said. "But I'm not making any promises," he added.

"We'll start tomorrow morning. Go inside. Botan has dinner ready."

What? Why hadn't she said that before?

Now that she mentioned it, Hiei could smell a delicious aroma coming from the half-open door at their back. He hurried inside, eager to fill his stomach. Genkai followed at a more sedate pace.


	10. Chapter 10

It was Minamino who woke Hiei the next morning. He was annoyingly cheerful as he pulled the curtains of Hiei's window aside.

"What time is it?" Hiei grumbled, trying to burrow under the covers.

Minamino opened the window and a chill breeze swept into the room.

"Six o'clock," he said. "Master Genkai wants you up."

"Can't she wait?" Hiei demanded, bravely sticking his nose out from under the covers. He wasn't a late sleeper but six o'clock sounded a little unreasonable to him.

"Afraid not," Minamino said, a note of sympathy entering his voice. "Actually, this is quite generous of her. When I was training with her, she had me up before daybreak."

"I've changed my mind. I don't want to do it," Hiei said, pulling the covers up to hide his face.

Minamino ruthlessly yanked the covers off. Hiei swore at him.

"Get dressed," Minamino said. "If you're quick, you'll have enough time to fortify yourself with a coffee before you see her."

With a resigned sigh, Hiei dragged himself out of bed. Minamino left the room and Hiei dressed in comfortable clothes. He hadn't brought much with him, just the basics. He wondered how he would buy more. Would the Syndicate be able to track him if he withdrew money from his bank account? Could he ask someone else to do it for him?

As he left the room he tucked his sister's gem under his shirt. It was small but it felt heavy around his neck. He didn't feel safe leaving it tucked away with the rest of his possessions in this strange place. He needed to keep it close.

He wondered what his sister would think of his situation if she saw him now. She had always been a gentle soul, despite everything that happened with the Syndicate. Her ability had been healing so she had never participated in the brutal physical training Hiei had endured. That was something that Hiei had always been grateful for.

Minamino was waiting for him in the kitchen with a cup of coffee ready for him. Hiei pounced on it as if he were a dying man in the desert, Minamino watching him with an amused expression.

"Is anyone else up?" Hiei asked, after several sips.

"Yusuke is still asleep. Short of an apocalypse, he usually isn't up earlier than nine," Minamino informed him. "Botan is up and in the shower. She will likely be some time."

A question occurred to Hiei as he observed Minamino's demeanour. "Have you spoken to your mother?" he asked, wondering how Minamino could be so calm and relaxed when his mother might be in danger.

"No, but Master Genkai did," Minamino said. "She believes that Master Genkai has injured herself and I am staying to help around here until she recovers. A friend will be keeping a watch on her while I am here."

"And the university?" Hiei asked.

Minamino smiled. "That was an easy one. I am unwell."

Of course. "You've got it all figured out, haven't you?" Hiei asked. "What if the university contacts your mother?"

"I will tell my mother that there was a miscommunication," Minamino said.

"You've done this before," Hiei observed.

Minamino's contented expression turned troubled. "I have," he admitted. "It is… necessary to maintain my normal life."

"Is it that important for you to have a normal life?" Hiei asked. "It must be pretty stressful."

"It is. But I feel it is worth it," Minamino said. "My mother has given me so much. I owe her this."

That puzzled Hiei, but he was given no chance to question Minamino further.

"Good. You're up."

Hiei turned to see Genkai glaring up at him. "I'm glad I don't have to drag your lazy ass out of bed like that other delinquent."

Hiei gave Minamino a questioning look.

"Yusuke," Minamino mouthed at him.

"If you aren't done with that, bring it," she pointed at the coffee cup in Hiei's hands. "Let's get started."

Hiei followed her out of the kitchen and into the courtyard, wondering what kind of hell she had planned for him.

-0-

Hiei sat in the lotus position across from the old psychic with a disgusted scowl on his face. "This is stupid," he complained.

"It's no wonder you don't have even the smallest amount of control over that thing," Genkai told him. "If you can't master your own mind, how do you think you can master the jagan, a creature with a mind of its own?"

"A mind of its own?" Hiei asked, disturbed. He had always assumed that the jagan was more of an extension of himself. But a mind of its own? A will that could actively work against him? That, he really did not like.

"Yes," Genkai said flatly. "And if you aren't careful, it will corrupt you."

Hiei's mind flashed to the ever-expanding tattoo on his arm and winced. Was that a sign of the jagan's attempt to corrupt him?

"Now, close your eyes and try again," Genkai ordered.

Sighing, Hiei did so. The complete blackness behind his eyes was unsettling. He kept his breaths even, as Genkai had instructed, but he still really didn't see how this would help him control the jagan.

He felt a mosquito alight on his cheek and raised his hand, slapping at it. He opened his eyes to meet Genkai's disapproving glare.

"what was I supposed to do?" he grumbled.

She sighed. "I can see that this is going to take some time."

-0-

Hiei and Genkai returned to the temple for lunch. Minamino had helped Botan prepare the meal. Yusuke joined them as well.

"So, Grandma, how's the shrimp doing?" Yusuke asked brightly. He had warmed a little to Hiei but he still didn't completely trust him.

"He's almost as difficult as you," she grumbled.

Minamino smiled sympathetically at Hiei. "I expect that you haven't made much progress yet," he said. "But how did it go?"

"It was just a whole lot of sitting around and doing nothing," Hiei complained. "I don't see how that's supposed to help."

"Meditation is a very useful skill," Minamino told him. "And not merely for controlling psychic abilities. It can benefit you in other areas of your life as well."

"And you're probably really good at it," Hiei mumbled.

"Actually, he is," Yusuke informed him. "So is Kuwabara, which is kind of surprising."

Kuwabara. Hiei had heard that name mentioned. He was sure that this Kuwabara was the person whom Minamino had keeping an eye on his mother. He hoped that Kuwabara was as skilled as Minamino at fighting because he doubted that the Syndicate would give up on getting Minamino.

And given that Minamino had essentially dropped off the face of the earth, as far as the Syndicate was concerned, they might well go after his mother in an attempt to flush him out of hiding. Hiei suppressed a shudder. The thought of sweet Ms. Minamino in harm's way didn't sit well with him.

"Please give it a chance, Hiei," Minamino told him. "You might be surprised by the results."

"Hah." Hiei personally doubted it. But he'd agreed to the training in the first place, so he felt that he ought to see it through. Either it helped or it didn't. Worst case scenario, he'd completely wasted his time.

And time was something that he had a lot of right now.

-0-

Hiei continued to try meditating with Genkai but he was growing frustrated with his lack of progress. Minamino and Yusuke seemed to have completely opposite views on the technique. Yusuke hated it while Minamino insisted that it would help him.

And Minamino was another problem. His manner seemed to be growing distant towards Hiei. He spent most of his time with Yusuke. He told Hiei that they were training. Which Hiei knew to be the truth, as the two of them were always sporting cuts and bruises, and more alarmingly, the occasional broken bone.

The first time this had happened, Hiei had been horrified. Yusuke had entered the temple, cradling his arm against his chest. It was bent at an unnatural angle. Minamino trailed him in, brushing dirt from his clothes.

Hiei had panicked. But a grinning Yusuke had told him that Botan would heal it just like new. And she had, right in front of Hiei's eyes. She was a healer, just like his sister had been.

Hiei had a lot of questions for Minamino but he was never able to get Minamino alone to ask them. The frustration he felt with Minamino was making meditation all the more difficult for him.

Finally Hiei had had enough. On the fourth evening at the temple, he cornered Minamino just as he was preparing for a shower. Hiei stood in front of the bathroom door, arms crossed stubbornly over his chest. Minamino stood in the hall before him with his arms full of clothes and looking confused.

"We need to talk," Hiei informed him.

"Here?" Minamino inquired, one red eyebrow raised. His tone hinted that he thought the idea was preposterous.

"I don't care where we do it," Hiei snapped, annoyed with him. "But I'm sick of you giving me the run-around."

"I have no idea what you are talking about," Minamino told him. "Now, if you will excuse me-"

"No. We're going to talk now," Hiei insisted. He grabbed Minamino's arm and pulled him in the direction of his room. Minamino followed, his own expression displaying irritation now.

Hiei shut the door behind him after Minamino entered his room. He stood in the centre of the bare room, frowning at Hiei.

"Why are you avoiding me?" Hiei demanded.

"I am not-"

"Yes, you are." Hiei was thoroughly sick of Minamino's excuses and evasions. For once, he wanted straight answers from the redhead. "Over the last few days you've become distant. You won't talk to me. Why?"

"I have talked to you," Minamino protested.

"Not about anything that matters," Hiei pointed out.

Minamino's voice was quiet when he answered. "You lied to me. You pretended to be interested in me in order to kidnap me. How should I react to that?"

"But, I didn't," Hiei said helplessly. "I told you the truth."

"Eventually," Minamino conceded. "But now I am left wondering how much of our relationship is a lie and how much is genuine."

Hiei felt anger rise inside him. Heat began to pool in his hands and he clenched them into fists.

"You're a hypocrite," Hiei told him. "Your whole life is a lie."

Minamino flinched. His green eyes slid away from Hiei's. "That is none of your business," he said, his voice tight and raw.

Hiei was pleased that he'd managed to hit a nerve. "You've lied to your mother, probably for your entire life. How do you think she's going to feel when she finds out that her son has been leading a double life?"

"That is completely different," Minamino snapped.

"I don't think it is," Hiei retorted. "At least I'm trying to fix things."

"How?" Minamino inquired, bitterness in his voice. "The Syndicate is still after me."

"Your problem, not mine," Hiei pointed out. "I don't know what you did to make Yomi hate you so much but it had nothing to do with me. You only have yourself to blame for that one."

Minamino's eyes seemed to shift in the dim light of the room. For a moment, Hiei was sure that they were no longer green. They seemed to gleam with a malevolent golden hue. Minamino also seemed to be exuding a dangerous aura. His mouth was thinned and his fingers were clenched tightly in the fabric of the clothing he still held.

"You don't know anything," he snapped, and even his voice sounded different.

Hiei tried to step back but hit the door. His breath caught in his throat.

And then Minamino took a deep breath and the energy faded. His eyes were green again and his expression turned bland.

"It is late," he said. "Good night, Hiei."

Though they were polite, there was no warmth in his words. Minamino stepped forward and Hiei moved numbly out of his way. Minamino stepped past him and out of the room. His footsteps padded softly down the hall. Hiei stared after him, wondering what had just happened.

-0-

Kurama entered the bathroom and set his clothes down. He put his hands on the edge of the basin and rested his weight on them. His palms were sweaty.

He couldn't believe how close he had came to losing control. Hiei's accusations had hit far too close to home for comfort. Kurama knew that he had every right to be angry at Hiei for his deception and every right to question their relationship.

But he himself was not blameless in this either. His own actions had led to this. He had been stupid to think that he could bury his past.

And now the neat facade he'd built up over the last twenty years was beginning to crumble around him. And that was not Hiei's fault. If it hadn't been Hiei, then someone else would have come along to tear it down.

Kurama stared at his face in the mirror. The face of Minamino Shuichi was reflected there, but that wasn't the face that Kurama saw.

Instead of green, his irises were golden. And the hair was no longer blood red. Instead, the long strands were white as snow. And, most alarmingly, there were two pert fox ears sticking up from the mane of white hair.

This person was a stranger to almost everyone else in the temple, but Kurama knew him well. This was his original appearance. The monster that chased him in his nightmares wore this face.

Kurama turned away, breaths coming in short, panicked bursts. He squeezed his eyes shut but he could still feel those golden eyes boring into the back of his head. He wrapped his arms tightly around himself.

He needed to calm down. He needed to get a grip on things. He couldn't give in to his nightmares. He needed to find a way out of this situation. His mother didn't know it, but her life was dependant on the choices he made now. And he would not let her down. He wasn't the son she should have had. But he would do his best to be the son that she deserved.

He took several deep breaths and let his arms fall to his side. He slowly turned back to the mirror. He let out a relieved breath when he met his own green eyes.

He'd work this out. He would not accept failure.


	11. Chapter 11

All three of Hiei's eyes glared at the old woman sitting serenely in front of him. Beads of sweat slowly ran down his forehead.

"this is stupid," he complained.

Genkai sneered at him, her expression completely lacking sympathy. "You say that every time you can't do something," she informed Hiei.

Hiei scowled. Now that he thought about it, she was right. And he was pissed.

"Try focusing on someone you are close to," Genkai suggested.

Hiei sighed. "I'm not close to anyone," he muttered.

"Just think of someone and try," Genkai snapped.

"Fine!" Hiei returned. He closed his natural eyes and focused on the jagan. His head ached but he pushed past the pain. As unpleasant as this whole process was, Hiei hated admitting that he couldn't do something so he was determined to gain some measure of control over his third eye. Just to prove that he could.

He thought of Minamino. The redhead had remained cool and polite towards Hiei over the last two days. That hurt. Hiei had no idea how to get things back to the way they used to be between them. He had no idea if that was even possible.

He had considered confronting Minamino again, but had immediately dismissed the idea. He wasn't quite sure what had occurred during their last meeting but it frightened him. He had a feeling that it would not be wise to back Minamino into a corner, as he'd attempted to do last time. Perhaps backing off was a better option, even if it seemed counterproductive.

He was surprised when an image of Minamino surfaced in his mind. The young man was sitting under a tree, one leg stretched out in front of him and the other bent. He was reading a book.

He looked up and it seemed to Hiei as if Minamino were looking directly at him. He smiled and set his book down. Then a figure obscured Hiei's vision of Minamino. Hiei recognised the back of Yusuke's head and scowled. He let the vision go.

He opened his eyes to see Genkai regarding him thoughtfully. "Well?" she asked gruffly.

"It worked," Hiei said shortly.

"What did you see?" Genkai inquired.

"None of your business," Hiei snapped. He stood up and marched into the trees, back towards the temple. He didn't want to admit to the old lady that he'd sought out Minamino.

Genkai didn't attempt to call him back or follow him. Hiei was grateful. He knew that, sooner or later, he would have to face her again but he preferred it to be later. Right now he had a massive headache and he just wanted some peace and quiet.

That girl with the blue ponytail was in the kitchen when Hiei entered. She gave him a bright smile.

"I didn't think you'd be back this early," she chirped. "Do you want something to eat?"

Hiei gave her a withering glare before opening the fridge and taking a water bottle from inside. He closed the fridge and uncapped the bottle, downing half of it in one go.

"You could just say 'no', you know," Botan lectured, her expression offended.

"No," Hiei said, before walking out of the kitchen with the bottle. He knew that he was being rude but that damn headache wouldn't go away. He just wanted to be alone for a little while.

He went to his room and lay down on the futon, staring up at the ceiling.

As much as he hated to admit it, the old lady had helped him accomplish more with the jagan in the last few days than the Syndicate had been able to do in years.

The Syndicate's methods of attempting to train his jagan had consisted more of drugs, sensory depravation and torture. All of which had proved completely useless.

And his arm… The marks had extended a little, but not as far as Hiei had expected.

A shout outside his window drew Hiei's attention. He rose from the futon and went to yell at the responsible party.

Only to see a shirtless Yusuke chasing Minamino with what appeared to be a water pistol. Hiei watched as Minamino ducked gracefully around a tree, sending Yusuke into a spin and causing him to lose his balance briefly. While Yusuke was recovering, Minamino smoothly disarmed him and then squirted him in the face before darting off out of Hiei's sight.

"Hey!" Yusuke bellowed. "Get back here!" He was grinning broadly as he ran after Minamino.

How could they play around like that, Hiei wondered. With everything that was happening right now, he felt that their antics were a little out-of-place.

But, then, he'd never had friends to fool around with. The adults at the Syndicate who watched over Hiei and the other children would never have allowed such foolishness.

Hiei decided to go back to the kitchen and see if that girl was still there. Perhaps she'd still be willing to feed him.

-0-

The next morning, Koenma paid another visit to the temple. Hiei was invited to sit in on the meeting, surprising him.

"Does he need to be here?" Yusuke asked with an unfriendly scowl on his face. "No offence, man," he added to Hiei. "But I don't exactly trust you yet."

"Actually, I would prefer that Hiei stay," Koenma said. "I've been discussing something with Genkai that involves Hiei."

"Involves me?" Hiei demanded uneasily. He didn't like the sound of that. A glance across the table showed him that Minamino was frowning too.

"Genkai said that you've been making some progress with your jagan," Koenma continued.

Now Hiei really didn't like where this was going. "Maybe," he said cautiously.

Koenma reached beneath his coat and took out a small cloth bag. He upended the contents onto the table and several small gems rolled across the surface.

Yusuke reached out and snagged one, holding it up to the light between his fingers. "How much is this worth?" he asked curiously.

Koenma glared at him. "A lot," he said.

"Neat," Yusuke said admiringly.

Minamino had also picked up one of the gems and was turning it around and around, examining the surface.

"Perfectly round," he said. "I take it that these gems are what the Syndicate has been selling."

"Yes," Koenma said. "I was hoping that Hiei could use his jagan to determine their source. If we could figure out where they are getting these gems and shut their supply down, then that would cause them some serious problems."

"I doubt it," Hiei said cynically. Everyone at the table turned to look at him. "The members of the Syndicate are rich in their own right. This might inconvenience them, but it won't shut them down for good."

"Well, if you've got a better idea-" Koenma snapped.

"Enough," Genkai said flatly. "Hiei has a point, Koenma, but I still think it's worth a try. Inconveniencing them is better than just sitting back and doing nothing. Will you do it, or won't you, Hiei?"

Hiei looked around the table at the expectant faces around him. Yusuke was frowning. He was no longer playing with the gem anymore and Hiei wondered if he had pocketed it. Minamino was still holding his gem but his attention was now on Hiei, his expression unreadable.

There was obviously only one answer he could give. "Fine," he muttered. He picked up one of the small aqua gems and rolled it between his fingers for a moment before fisting it. It felt warm to the touch.

"It has… energy," Hiei said in surprise. He could feel it, pulsing like a heartbeat against his palm.

"Yes. Of a kind," Minamino agreed. "Very strange."

"Creepy," Yusuke muttered.

Hiei closed his eyes and opened his jagan. He focused his mind on the small gem he held. It was actually quite easy. The jagan seemed drawn to the energy, as if it were being pulled towards it.

Then, the darkness before Hiei's eyes was replaced with a vision of a plain white room. The room was bare except for the bed sitting against the wall. And on the bed sat a young woman with aqua coloured hair and crimson eyes. Eyes just like Hiei's.

She wore a plain white gown, the sort that the doctors used to make Hiei wear when they wanted to examine him extensively or perform surgery. Her face was very pale and her bones jutted out, giving her the appearance of being undernourished. Thin, dark scars lined her arms.

Hiei felt sick. It had been years since he'd seen her, but he knew this girl.

"Yukina." His mouth formed the word silently. As he watched, the girl on the bed turned her head as if she'd just heard something. Then she recoiled, scooting along the bed, her face a mask of fear.

An arm entered Hiei's vision, followed by a bulky figure. Yukina was dragged from the room, her mouth open in a scream that Hiei couldn't hear.

"Hiei! Hiei!"

Hiei desperately tried to turn to follow his sister's progress but he couldn't. His head began to ache but he ignored it. He had to keep her in his sight. He had to find out what was happening to her. Why was she so scared?

Hiei was finally able to turn his vision towards where Yukina had been dragged but it was just in time to see the door slamming shut. And, rolling across the tiled floor, were two small aqua gems, just like the ones that Koenma had brought with him. Just like the one Hiei still held in his palm.

A sharp pain across his face brought Hiei out of the vision. He stared up at the horrified face of Minamino, whose hand was raised.

Numbly, Hiei raised his own hand to his cheek. It still hurt. But it was nothing compared to the pain pounding in his head.

"Hiei? Can you hear me?" Minamino demanded.

Hiei closed his eyes and tried to focus on his sister, only to feel Minamino's hand connecting with his cheek again, completely destroying his concentration. Fury filled him. He needed to find Yukina. He snarled up at Minamino.

"Here." Yusuke's voice came from above them and Minamino reached up, retrieving a damp washcloth from Yusuke. He used it to wipe Hiei's forehead. Only then did Hiei realise that something wet was trickling down his face and into his hair. He ran his hand over his face and stared at it. His fingers had come away with blood on them. He was bleeding.

"Just relax, Hiei," Minamino said. "It will be all right." His voice was even and soothing, as if Hiei were a frightened animal that needed calming.

"No, I have to…" Hiei trailed off. Did he want these people to know about Yukina? What would they do if they thought that she was the source of the gems the Syndicate produced? Would they kill her? Or take her to use for themselves?

And how was she producing the gems? Had the Syndicate done something to her, like they had with Hiei's jagan eye?

"You need to rest," Minamino said sternly. "Your jagan is bleeding."

Bleeding? It had never done that before. Hiei closed his eyes. Minamino continued to run the washcloth over Hiei's forehead and then over the rest of his face.

"Damn, dude, you didn't have to half-kill yourself, you know," Yusuke grumbled. "You scared the crap out of Kurama."

"Excuse me?" Minamino's voice sounded annoyed. "As I recall, you were the one who panicked."

"I did not!" Yusuke protested.

"Could you both just shut up, please?" Hiei groaned. Their voices were making his headache worse.

"Okay, okay." Hiei felt himself being lifted and the sensation was dizzying.

"Watch his head." Minamino's voice floated towards him from somewhere behind him.

"I am, okay? Back off, man," Yusuke said.

Hiei was relieved when he felt his back come to rest on what he assumed was his futon. He hoped that everyone would just leave him alone now.

No such luck. That blue-haired girl was the next person to impose her presence on him and her voice was the most grating of all. Her attempt to heal his headache met with no success.

"I'm so sorry," she apologised, her hands hovering anxiously over his face.

"It's fine," Hiei said, his face scrunched up in pain. "I just need rest."

"Oh, okay," she said uncertainly.

"Thank you, Botan," Minamino said from behind her. "But it seems that this is not a physical injury. I suspect that it must be left to heal naturally."

Botan left the room, leaving Hiei alone with Minamino. Minamino sat on the floor beside the futon.

"You can go," Hiei mumbled, refusing to look at him.

"Someone needs to stay with you for a little while," Minamino informed him. "We know so little about your jagan implant." He hesitated briefly before continuing. "This may be more serious than it seems."

"Or it might be exactly what it seems," Hiei snapped.

"Let us hope so," Minamino said.

Hiei let out an annoyed huff of air, realising that Minamino had no intention of leaving and arguing with him was just going to make his headache worse. He resigned himself to spending the next few hours in Minamino's company.

Minamino didn't speak again, though Hiei could hear his quiet breathing. After an uncomfortable few minutes, Hiei found himself dozing off. He drifted in and out of consciousness. Occasionally someone would enter his room on light steps and speak quietly with Minamino, but they never stayed long and Hiei payed no attention to what they were saying. His mind floated in a place between waking and sleep, where dreams were almost real.

Eventually, Hiei fell off the edge of consciousness and into the dark abyss of sleep.


	12. Chapter 12

Hiei was somehow not surprised to find that Minamino was still present when he woke up. He rolled onto his side to see Minamino's back. His shoulders were hunched slightly as he read a book. Afternoon sunlight streamed through the window and into the room.

Hiei sat up, causing Minamino to twist around to look at him.

"How are you feeling, Hiei?" he asked. His book now rested on the floor, one of his hands pressed on it with a finger slid between the pages to mark his place.

"Fine," Hiei said. He did feel much better. His headache was gone. "How long was I asleep?"

Minamino's brow creased as he checked his watch. "Four hours," he said, looking up at Hiei again.

Hiei reached up to touch the jagan's folded lid. "Were you here the whole time?" he asked.

Minamino took just a beat too long to answer Hiei's question, immediately making Hiei suspicious. "Most of the time," he said guardedly.

"Why?" Hiei demanded, feeling confused. They hadn't really resolved their disagreement, after all, if it could even be called that.

Minamino got to his feet, picking up his book. He walked over to the desk sitting against the wall beside the wardrobe and set his book down on the surface. Hiei wondered if he would leave without answering his question.

But, then he spoke, with his back still to Hiei. Why wouldn't he turn around?

"Because… I do not wish you ill," he said finally.

Hiei was happy to hear that, but he still found Minamino's answer unsatisfactory. "I've tried to be honest with you," he said, unable to completely keep his annoyance out of his voice. "But you haven't done the same."

Minamino's back stiffened. "You must understand," he said. "I have kept my secrets for my entire life. My entire life as Minamino Shuichi, anyway. That is a hard habit to break, especially when I barely know you. You ask a lot of me."

What would it take to pry this man's past from him, Hiei wondered. It was like pulling teeth. He was almost tempted to give up. Almost.

Minamino's statement wasn't completely accurate, though. It was obvious that the other people in the temple were aware of Minamino's past. It sent a pang of hurt through Hiei, that Minamino clearly trusted these people more than he trusted Hiei. It was unfair for Hiei to feel that way, he kew, as Minamino had obviously known them much longer than he'd known Hiei, but it hurt all the same. Especially as Hiei was really making an effort to be honest with him. Something that he had never done for anyone else.

"You think it was easy for me?" he asked. "To turn my back on everything and everyone I've ever known and take a chance trusting someone I only met a few weeks ago?"

"No, I-" Minamino paused, and then turned. He walked over to Hiei and sat down on the floor again, this time facing him. His expression was serious and thoughtful.

"My history is not pleasant," he warned.

"Yes, because my life has been a garden of roses so far," Hiei quipped, earning him a wry, amused smile from Minamino.

And then the smile vanished and Minamino took a deep breath, as if gathering himself to face some unpleasant ordeal.

"Point taken," he said. "I imagine that my story started much the way yours did. I don't remember if I ever had a family before the Syndicate, or how they came to raise me. For all I know, perhaps I was born there. They experimented on me even when I was very young. I saw nothing wrong with this, as it happened to the other children as well. I thought it was normal and for my own good. Eventually, I discovered that I could manipulate plants. My appearance also began to change. My hair had been dark as a child but eventually it lightened to become white. My eyes turned from brown to golden. And…"

"And?" Hiei prodded, curious.

Minamino's lips thinned. "Do not laugh," he said warningly.

Now Hiei really needed to know. "Cross my heart," he said, wondering what Minamino was so reluctant to voice.

"I grew… fox ears on my head," he said.

Hiei had to clamp his hand over his mouth as a vision of two little fox ears popping up out of Minamino's thick mane of red hair appeared in his mind.

Minamino looked offended. "Do you want to hear the rest of it, or not?" he demanded.

Hiei choked on his laugh in a concerted effort to stop. Finally he lowered his hand and said, "Yes," with his most serious face.

Minamino gave him a skeptical look but chose to continue. "They began to train me as an assassin," he said. "Like you. My plant manipulation provided me with versatile and, at times, subtle weapons to use in my endeavours."

"Like poisons," Hiei said, remembering the book Minamino had borrowed from the library.

Minamino nodded. "Like poisons," he agreed. His green eyes held a distant look, as if he were seeing something other than Hiei and the room they were currently in. "I was very good at my job. So much so that I became entrusted with more important tasks and I became privy to information not usually shared with those in my profession. I learned that the true goal of the experiments conducted on us was to find the secret to immortality. That was the whole reason for the existence of the Syndicate."

"Immortality?" Hiei asked. This was completely new to him.

"Yes," Minamino confirmed. "The founder of the organisation, whom, as I think you may recall, is Koenma's father, wished to discover the key to everlasting life. He believed it lay in the manipulation of reiki, the energy that flows within all of us. The energy that we, ourselves, manipulate in order to use our abilities."

"Did he find it?" Hiei asked. He knew that the mysterious founder of the Syndicate was rumoured to be aged, but immortal?

"Not quite," Minamino said. "Though I understand that he has been able to extend his life significantly." He shifted position, stretching one leg out. "My duties eventually turned from assassinations to thievery," he said.

"Thievery?" Hiei demanded, stunned. He found that hard to imagine.

"Yes. And I must admit that I found it far more satisfying than the assassinations," Minamino said. "I was very good at it." Pride had crept into his voice.

"What did you steal?" Hiei asked, wondering what a multibillion dollar corporation needed that was so valuable that it couldn't be bought.

"Very rare artefacts that were rumoured to have magical properties," Minamino said.

"Did they?" Hiei asked.

Minamino blinked at him.

"Did they really have… magical properties?" Hiei clarified. "That sort of thing doesn't really exist, does it?"

"I assure you, it does," Minamino informed him. "Of course, not every item I obtained lived up to its reputation. But a few did."

"So what happened after that?" Hiei asked. "How'd you get on Yomi's shit list?"

"I am getting there," Minamino said with a tolerant smile. "Yomi and I were partners. He helped provide me with cover while I performed the thefts. But eventually he began to grow ambitious. He…"

Minamino's voice trailed off for a moment. He closed his eyes for a moment. Hiei had the impression that he was choosing his next words carefully.

"He once suggested keeping some of the artefacts we took and using them for our own ends," he continued. "I refused. I knew that it wouldn't take long for the Syndicate to realise what we were up to."

Hiei frowned, suspecting that Minamino wasn't telling him everything. But even learning this much was more than he expected, so he put aside his misgivings.

"What did Yomi do?" he asked. Even though Hiei did not know Yomi well, he suspected that the proud goat would not take kindly to not getting his way. Once he set his mind on something, he always followed through.

"He went behind my back and kept one of the artefacts we were supposed to steal," Minamino said, his lips turning down into a frown. "I knew what he'd done, of course. He could hardly hide it from me."

"So you told your boss?" Hiei guessed.

Minamino gave him a flat stare. "No," he said. "I knew that the punishment Yomi would receive would be dire. And mine would be little better."

"Why would they punish you?" Hiei asked in surprise.

"Because I did not prevent it," Minamino said. "I do not know how the Syndicate functions now, but it was very harsh then. Though now, I wish I had spoken up. Perhaps it would have been better for both of us. The Syndicate discovered Yomi's deception and Yomi took the opportunity to blame me for it."

"He what?" Hiei demanded, irate. "But he was your partner."

"I believe that he was still angry that I had not wished to join him in his deception," Minamino said. "Or, perhaps he was simply afraid. I do not know. The Syndicate ordered him to kill me."

Hiei felt his stomach clench unpleasantly. "Did he try?" he asked quietly.

"He did a little more than try," Minamino informed him. "During our next heist, Yomi attacked me without warning. I fought back, naturally, and severely wounded him."

"His eyes," Hiei realised. "That's what happened. You blinded him."

"I did," Minamino said. "And I believe that was the only reason I was able to escape. But Yomi had already mortally wounded me. I was dying. But I had one chance left."

Hiei leaned forward. "One chance?"

"Yes." A sad smile twisted Minamino's mouth. Was there a glint of satisfaction in his eyes, too? "I managed to escape with the artefact we were supposed to steal. It was rumoured to enable a soul to leave the body."

The pieces began to fall into place in Hiei's mind, a jigsaw finally coming together. "You used it," he said.

"Yes. Lucky for me, this particular artefact was everything that it was rumoured to be. My soul left my dying body and I was able to locate a woman in the very early stage of pregnancy. The child within her had not developed a soul yet so I took it for my own. It was the ultimate theft, I suppose. To steal a life that was never meant to be mine." Minamino looked sad now, his eyes lowered.

"And you've… been hiding ever since?" Hiei asked, stunned.

"Yes. I left my identity as Kurama behind. I have been living as Minamino Shuichi for the last twenty years. And I have come to understand precisely how much the Syndicate cheated me." Minamino's expression held regret and sadness. "Cheated all of us."

"That sort of explains a lot," Hiei said. "That's why you're so close to your mother, isn't it?"

"Yes." Minamino ducked his head, his curtain of hair obscuring his face. "The love of a mother was something that I had never known before."

Hiei could understand it now. He was sure that if someone like Shiori Minamino had come into his life, he would have done anything to keep her safe. As he would for his sister.

"I am sorry," Hiei said quietly. He really wished that this man could have continued to live his new life, free from the chains of his past. That he and his mother could be safe.

"I think you actually mean that," Minamino said. "Thank you."

Hiei felt that, in light of Minamino's honesty, he owed him some in return. "I think I know where the Syndicate is getting the gems," he said.

Minamino stared at him, green eyes intense. "Shall I get the others?" he asked.

"No. Not yet," Hiei said. "I think… I think they are getting them from my sister somehow."

Minamino's eyes widened. "Your sister?" he said, his tone startled. "You have a sister?"

"I did. I mean, I do. I-I thought she died," Hiei said, stumbling over his words. "They told me she did. But I saw her."

"The others must be told," Minamino said.

Irrational panic rose inside Hiei and choked his throat. "W-what if…"

Minamino reached out and rested one hand on his arm. "Koenma's people won't hurt her," he said firmly. "Have you been hurt by us?"

"No," Hiei admitted.

"Have we treated you fairly?" Minamino questioned.

"Yes," Hiei said, his voice a little softer than it had been. Minamino had a point but Hiei wasn't ready to completely concede victory to him yet. "But I don't know these people," he protested.

"If your sister is an innocent party in this, and willing to allow us to help her, then she will not come to harm," Minamino said. "Everyone deserves a second chance. I will not say anything until you are ready to tell them yourself."

He rose and went to the desk, swiping his book from the surface.

"Thank you," Hiei said just as he was leaving.

Minamino looked back briefly before exiting the room. His face was unreadable.

Hiei flopped back on the futon. He had a lot to think about. Immortality. Magical artefacts. And Yomi. Minamino's story explained why Yomi was so eager to get a hold of Minamino. He'd been given a chance to prove himself to the Syndicate by killing his 'traitorous' partner but he'd failed. Had he spent all these years looking over his shoulder, waiting for Kurama to pop up out of the shadows to finish him off?

Hiei shuddered. That sounded like a really unpleasant way to live. But Yomi only had himself to blame for that. Hiei doubted that he could have simply moved on with his life if he'd been in Minamino's position. He was sure that he would have bided his time until he'd regained his strength, and then he would have confronted Yomi. Only one of them would have walked away from that meeting alive.

Yet, Minamino had walked away. He'd obviously never had any intention of addressing the unfinished business between himself and Yomi. Was it cowardice that stayed Minamino's hand? Or something else?

Hiei strongly suspected that the answer wasn't 'something' else. It was 'someone' else. Specifically, Minamino's mother. Minamino was trying to distance himself from his past in order to protect her.

He certainly wasn't the person Hiei had first thought he was. This should have dampened Hiei's attraction to him but it seemed to be having the opposite effect. The more Hiei learned about Minamino, the more glimpses he got of what lay under Minamino's patient, polite mask, the more he liked what he saw. Minamino wasn't ordinary. He wasn't weak and he wasn't naive. He could clearly hold his own in a fight, as evidenced by his escape from the Toguro brothers. In short, he was someone that Hiei could respect.

And there weren't very many people in this world that Hiei respected.

Hiei stood and gathered up a change of clothes. He would have a shower and then approach the other inhabitants of the temple. Minamino had said that he would wait until Hiei was ready to tell them about his sister, but Hiei doubted that he would wait very long. It was plain that he felt that this was something that ought to be shared with everyone.

And if Hiei didn't like whatever plan they concocted? He'd make his own. He'd already given these people as much information as he could about the Syndicate. He felt that he really didn't owe them anything more than that. It was kind of them to offer him aid, but he could deal with his own problems himself.

He'd get his sister away from the Syndicate, with or without the help of these people. And then they'd go somewhere far away, perhaps another country. Somewhere where the long slimy tentacles of the Syndicate couldn't reach them. Where no one knew who they were. They'd both finally be free to live their lives as they chose.


	13. Chapter 13

Once again, Hiei found himself sitting at the low table, the centre of attention. Yusuke watched him with wary brown eyes. Genkai was frowning, a cigar between her lips. Koenma looked hopeful. Neither Minamino nor Botan were present. Hiei had expected that Botan would not join them, but he was surprised that Minamino was not there.

"What do you have to tell us about the gems?" Koenma asked him.

"Shouldn't we wait for Minamino?" Hiei asked uncertainly.

"He's on the phone," Genkai informed him. "He'll join us shortly."

Hiei turned his head in the direction of the hall, where the phone was located, straining his ears for any hint of the redhead's voice but he could hear nothing.

"Can we get on with this?" Yusuke asked, his tone bored.

Hiei turned back to the group, shoulders slumping a little. They stared at him expectantly.

"Well?" Koenma asked when he said nothing. "I assume you saw something or we wouldn't be here."

"I, ah, I don't know exactly how they're getting the gems," Hiei began cautiously.

Yusuke laughed. "How does that help us then, shorty?"

Hiei glared at him. He sincerely wished that Koenma hadn't dug through his files and brought those photos of his younger self. Yusuke simply would not let it go.

Hiei took a deep breath and resolved to just get it over with, like ripping a bandaid off. "I think my sister is involved somehow," he said.

Koenma looked curious. Genkai's eyes narrowed. Yusuke gave him a wide-eyed stare.

"You got a sister?" he asked. "And you just left her in that place?"

"I didn't leave her there!" Hiei snapped. Anger bubbled in his veins. "I thought she was dead, okay?"

"There is nothing in your file about a sister," Koenma informed him.

Hiei turned his crimson glare on Koenma. "Yes, because your damn files are always fucking complete and accurate," he retorted.

Koenma gave him a narrow-eyed glare in return. "We aren't the bad guys here," he said. "You should remember that."

"Right. You're saints and the other guys are demons," Hiei said sourly. "The world isn't that black and white, you arrogant ass."

Koenma's cheeks turned red with fury but before he could say anything, Hiei felt a hand rest on his shoulder.

"Enough," Minamino's soft voice said. "I believe we are losing sight of the original purpose of this meeting."

Minamino's hand slipped away, taking its warmth with it as well. Minamino took a seat beside Hiei.

"Finding out exactly how Hiei's sister is involved with the gem-making process will be difficult," Minamino continued. "We do not know exactly where she is located, but it is likely well-guarded."

"Can't 'ya just use that eye-thingy again?" Yusuke asked Hiei.

"The jagan," Hiei said, feeling irritated. "I can't use it very well."

"Is it possible to get someone inside the Syndicate building to search for records?" Genkai asked Koenma. "They have an accounting department, don't they?"

Koenma frowned, considering. "They're very good at catching spies," he admitted, his lips twisting as if he'd tasted something bad. "I don't think I have anyone who could get in and out undetected."

"Perhaps we should bring this meeting to a close and think on it for a little while," Minamino suggested.

"Huh?" Yusuke gave him a surprised look.

"Hmmm. Perhaps," Genkai said. She regarded Minamino thoughtfully.

Koenma looked dissatisfied. "I don't have all the time in the world," he said, somewhat sulkily.

"If Hiei's sister is in some way involved with the process of creating the gems the Syndicate is selling, then I believe it is safe to assume that they will not harm her," Minamino pointed out. "We have time to consider our options and formulate a plan."

"Options?" Yusuke asked curiously. "Seems like we don't have any right now, Fox-boy."

Minamino's smile was mysterious and knowing. Yusuke leaned forward and got right in his face, raising one finger to tap Minamino's nose.

"What's going on in that big head of yours?" he demanded.

"All in good time, Yusuke," Minamino said. "All in good time." He swatted Yusuke's hand away, then stood up. "Will you come with me, Hiei?" he asked, looking down at the dark-haired man.

Hiei looked around the table one final time. Genkai was still smoking. Yusuke had settled back down, though he was giving Minamino a suspicious look. Koenma was frowning down at the table.

Hiei stood and followed Minamino out of the room. He heard soft voices pick up behind him as soon as they were in the hall. Minamino glanced at him briefly and then headed for the porch.

Hiei shivered a little as they stepped outside. Minamino went to the steps and sat down. Hiei joined him, sitting close to share his body heat.

"It is quite magical, is it not?" Minamino asked.

"What?" Hiei asked, confused by Minamino's random question.

Minamino held out his hand, palm up. White flakes landed on it.

"Oh, the snow," Hiei said. It had started earlier that afternoon, while Hiei had been asleep.

"The world sleeps in the winter," Minamino continued wistfully.

"I hate it," Hiei said. He scuffed his boot in the thin layer of white flakes on the wooden step.

"May I ask why?" Minamino inquired.

Hiei refused to look at him as he answered. "Because she loved it."

"She?" Minamino paused, waiting for an answer, but Hiei provided none, keeping his head down. Finally he took a shot in the dark. "Your sister?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"I see."

Minamino was quiet for several minutes. Hiei wondered what the point of this little aside was. Minamino couldn't have asked him out here merely to discuss the snow. There had to be more to this.

"What would you say if I told you that I may have an idea regarding the recovery of your sister?" Minamino asked, his voice jolting Hiei out of his thoughts.

"I'd ask why you didn't share it with the others," he responded.

Minamino was silent again. But eventually he answered. "It is very risky," he admitted.

Well, that kind of went without saying, Hiei thought. Anything involving the Syndicate was risky. He turned his head to stare at Minamino. "What is it?" he asked.

"You go back in and search for your sister," Minamino told him.

Hiei laughed softly. "That's a shitty plan," he said. "The Syndicate probably suspects me of treachery, since I've basically vanished off the face of the earth. At the very least, they'll question me when I return."

"Yes, but…"

Silence fell between them again as Minamino trailed off. Snow fell around them, dusting Minamino's hair and shoulders. Hiei had a strong urge to reach up and brush it off, but he restrained himself. Their relationship was strained, given the many revelations of the past few days and he was unsure if Minamino would welcome the physical contact.

"Perhaps if you showed up with some kind of boon," Minamino suggested. "Something that the Syndicate wants quite badly."

"Like what?" Hiei asked.

"Like me."

Hiei's mouth dropped open. Minamino stared at him, his green eyes determined.

"No," Hiei said.

Minamino looked taken aback. "Excuse me?" he asked.

"No!" Hiei repeated, louder this time. He stood, towering over the still-seated Minamino, who looked up at him from under red bangs.

"Why not?" Minamino demanded.

"Because you're a stupid fucking bastard!" Hiei told him. "Why the fuck would you just-"

He cut himself off abruptly. Minamino had started to get to his feet, his eyes wide with shock. Hiei turned and stormed back into the temple, unable to face him.

He almost walked into Yusuke, who grabbed him by the shoulders.

"What's your problem, man?" he demanded. "Why are you yelling?"

Hiei roughly pushed him aside and strode past him. He entered his room and shut the door firmly behind him. He stood there, chest heaving. He couldn't explain to Minamino why the idea was so distasteful to him. The truth was that the thought of Minamino suffering at the hands of the Syndicate sent fear shooting through his veins. It made his pulse quicken and his palms clammy. He couldn't let it happen.

Why was he so eager to throw his life away? He'd come up with this batshit-crazy plan awfully quickly. Surely there was some other option.

Hiei began to remove his snow-dusted clothing. What other option? He had to admit that he didn't have a better plan. But Minamino was smart. Surely if he really put some effort into it, he could come up with something else. Something that didn't involve suicide.

Besides, there were Minamino's friends to think about. Because, despite Hiei's earliest assumptions, it seemed that Minamino did have some. Hiei was certain that if he handed Minamino over to the Syndicate, Yusuke would undoubtably kill him.

Hiei kicked the edge of his futon angrily. When did everything get so damn complicated?

-0-

Kurama stared after Hiei's retreating back as he marched past Yusuke. Yusuke gave Kurama a questioning look.

"What was that about?" he asked. "You two have a fight or something?"

"It seems so," Kurama said, deliberately keeping his answer vague.

Yusuke took a step towards him. "Did it have something to do with why you cut that meeting short?" he asked.

Kurama was careful to meet Yusuke's eyes when he said, "No. It was… a difference of opinion."

"Really." Yusuke's tone was doubtful. "You know, that doesn't tell me anything."

"Yusuke, please. In light of everything else that is happening, it is not important," Kurama told him.

His words had the desired effect. The subtle reminder of the threat to his friend's life made Yusuke look a little guilty.

"Fine," he said, grudgingly. He stepped out of Kurama's way when he started to follow Hiei's path down the hall. But then, he spoke just as Kurama passed him. "Forget about that shrimp. You got enough to deal with. You don't need his shit, too."

Kurama didn't answer, but he continued on down the hall. Yusuke remained standing where he was, his eyes following Kurama's progress.

Hiei's door was shut when Kurama approached it. He tentatively rapped on the surface. He wasn't surprised when he received no response.

"Hiei? It's Shuichi. I'm coming in," he called. He opened the door to meet Hiei's red glare.

"What do you want?" he snapped. He stood in the middle of the room, holding his shirt in his hands. He tossed it onto the desk.

Kurama stepped into the room and shut the door behind him, ignoring his frosty reception. "We have not finished our discussion," he told Hiei.

"What's to talk about?" Hiei demanded. "I'm not going to let you kill yourself and that's all there is to it."

Kurama was surprised by Hiei's reaction. He had assumed that Hiei would jump at the chance to help his sister.

"Why does it matter to you?" Kurama asked. He was more curious about the answer to that question than he was willing to let on.

"You're an idiot," Hiei mumbled, He turned his back on Kurama and stared out the window. A wind had picked up, making the window pane rattle a little. The sun was setting and casting an orange glow over the white snow coating the ground. The trees were dark shapes, their branches waving in the wind.

Frustration welled up inside Kurama. "What do you mean by that?" he demanded.

"Go away. I don't want to fight with you," Hiei snapped.

"Not until you explain yourself," Kurama said firmly. He took a step forward.

Hiei whirled on him. "Why the hell do you think I told you about who I really was?" he snapped. "Why do you think I warned you about the Toguro brothers?"

"Because you… felt guilty?" Kurama guessed.

Hiei stared at him for a moment, dumbfounded. Kurama had the sense that his answer had been wrong but he couldn't come up with anything better.

Then Hiei stepped forward and grabbed the back of Kurama's head. His other arm came around Kurama's waist, jerking him forward. He kissed Kurama hard. Kurama was too shocked to respond to the kiss and, after a moment, Hiei pulled back.

Kurama stared into his crimson eyes. The anger was gone, replaced by something Kurama could only describe as desperation, mixed with some frustration.

"Get it now?" Hiei demanded, letting him go.

It took Kurama a moment to gather his scattered wits. "Should I take this to mean that you still have feelings for me?" he asked cautiously. His tongue flicked out, licking his lips.

"Could I possibly make it any more obvious?" Hiei demanded. He sounded offended.

Kurama walked over to the desk and slid the chair out, sitting down on it. Hiei turned to follow his progress, watching him cautiously.

"Is that why you do not approve of my plan?" Kurama asked.

Hiei crossed his arms over his chest. "I just kissed you. And you want to discuss your stupid plan?" he asked incredulously.

Kurama frowned. "Please answer the question," he said.

"Yes," Hiei snapped. "And it's a dumb plan, anyway." He turned away again.

"I received a phone call before the meeting," Kurama said quietly. "It was Kuwabara."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Hiei demanded sulkily.

"He informed me that he believes someone may be stalking my mother."

Hiei's back stiffened. Kurama waited for a response, but received none. He sighed and stood. He was about to leave when Hiei's voice stopped him.

"Even so, I don't understand why you're so quick to throw everything you have away," Hiei said resentfully.

"Everything I have?" Kurama asked, confused.

"You have friends. How do you think they're going to feel when they find out what you've done? And who do you think they will blame? You owe it to them, and to your mother, to at least try to find a better way."

Kurama was surprised. He really hadn't expected Hiei to have that point of view. "I admit," he said, "Coming from you, that is quite unexpected."

Hiei scowled. "If I had what you had, I wouldn't throw it away so quickly."

And there it was, Kurama thought. Kurama had the kind of life that Hiei wanted. He was angry that Kurama seemed to value it so little.

"Things are… not as simple as you seem to think they are," Kurama told him.

Hiei looked confused and angry. "And maybe you make them more complicated than they need to be," he snapped. He stepped forward, pulling Kurama to him again.

Kurama was about to push him away when Hiei's warm lips found his again. He found himself melting into the kiss. It was hard and passionate, as if Hiei was trying to devour him.

Kurama's head spun when Hiei withdrew. "Maybe it's that simple," he said. He kissed Kurama again and Kurama didn't have the will or the strength to stop him. The truth was that he really didn't want to. He needed this. Needed to feel connected to someone.

He'd gotten comfortable, living as a normal person. He'd thought that he'd left his old life behind. But now, it was rearing it's ugly head again, preparing to swallow him whole.

He allowed Hiei to push him down on the futon. But then he remembered where they were.

"The others," he said when Hiei broke their kiss to breathe. He wasn't sure if Hiei would understand his meaning but Hiei seemed to get it.

"if we're quiet, they won't know," Hiei told him.

Kurama still had his doubts, but Hiei's hands were warm and he could feel his body responding to Hiei's touch.

"Who cares what they think anyway?" Hiei breathed against his ear. He nipped the earlobe gently and Kurama hummed softly. For the moment, he was inclined to agree.

-0-

Hiei woke in the middle of the night. Minamino's body was warm against his. His breathing was slow and regular. Hiei ran his fingers lightly through Minamino's loose red hair, brushing it away from his cheek. Minamino didn't stir.

He wondered if Minamino would reconsider his stupid plan. It seemed to Hiei as if it were a knee-jerk reaction to Kuwabara's phone call.

Hiei resolved to tell Yusuke about it. He was certain that Yusuke would never allow Minamino to pull such an idiotic stunt.

Minamino shifted a little, mumbling something in his sleep. His eyelids fluttered. Hiei settled back down, wrapping his arms around Minamino. The scent of Minamino's floral shampoo filled Hiei's nose as he buried it in Minamino's soft hair.

He was surprised to feel Minamino's fingers wrap around his wrist. He expected Minamino to wake but his breaths remained even, his fingers still curled around Hiei's wrist. Hiei closed his eyes and drifted back to sleep.


	14. Chapter 14

Kurama woke, feeling warm and cozy. A weight pressed against his back and arms were wrapped around him. He carefully tried to move Hiei's arm from around his waist without waking the other man.

It was a fruitless endeavour. Hiei shifted behind him, tightening his hold.

"Hiei?" Kurama asked tentatively, wondering if Hiei was awake yet.

"Mmmm," was his only answer.

"Hiei, I need to get up," Kurama pleaded.

"Mmmm."

"Now," Kurama said firmly.

"It's still dark," Hiei mumbled into Kurama's hair.

Kurama sighed. "Yes, because you still have your eyes closed," he informed Hiei. The urge to laugh was almost too strong to bear, but Kurama managed to keep it bottled up.

Hiei groaned again, but removed his arm from Kurama's waist. Kurama sat up and stretched his arms above his head. He twisted around to look at Hiei, who was watching him from under half-closed eyelids.

"Good morning," Kurama said belatedly.

"That's a matter of opinion," Hiei grumbled.

Kurama stood and began to gather his clothes. He started to dress while Hiei continued to watch him, laying on his side with one hand propping his head up. Kurama sensed that he wanted to ask something but was taking his time about it. He waited patiently for Hiei to get to it as he dressed.

He was buttoning his shirt when Hiei said, "Are we… like a couple now or something?" A faint dusting of red adorned his cheeks.

Kurama paused, considering his response. "I suppose we are whatever we want to be," he answered.

Hiei sat up and glared at him. "That's not an answer," he griped. "Can't you just give a straight answer?"

Kurama deftly finished buttoning up his shirt and stooped to kiss Hiei on the forehead, right over the folded lid of his jagan eye.

"I am going to make some breakfast," he told Hiei. "Should I make enough for you as well?"

"Are you going to run off and get yourself killed today?" Hiei inquired.

"No," Kurama told him.

"Then I'm going back to sleep," Hiei informed him. He turned, giving Kurama his back and nestling comfortably under the covers again. Kurama bit his lip to hold back his laugh as he left the room, shutting the door carefully behind him.

-0-

Hiei didn't get a chance to speak to Yusuke that morning as he was training with Minamino. The two returned, bruised, bloody and sweaty after lunchtime.

After being healed by Botan and eating some food, Minamino returned to his room. Yusuke went into the living room and started up the gaming console.

"Wanna play?" he asked Hiei when he realised that he had company. He sat on the floor, the second controller held up towards Hiei.

"No. I'll just watch," Hiei replied. He sat down a short distance from Yusuke. The other boy still made him a little nervous. He wasn't quite clear on what kind of relationship he shared with Minamino, or whether or not he approved of Hiei and Minamino's relationship.

"Suit yourself," Yusuke said with a shrug. "I'd probably kick your ass anyway."

Hiei let the remark pass without comment. He knew that Yusuke was only trying to goad him into playing and he wasn't going to fall for it. The truth was that he'd never played video games, not on a console or in an arcade. He'd never even been to an arcade.

The music was upbeat, but repetitive and slightly annoying. It quickly became apparent that Yusuke was familiar with this game and he rocketed through the first few levels with what seemed to Hiei to be impressive skill.

He waited until Yusuke had just beaten a level before speaking. "Minamino wants to hand himself over to the Syndicate," he said.

Yusuke paused the game and turned to face him. "Yeah, that figures," he stated.

"It does?" Hiei asked in surprise. He had thought that his revelation would shock the other man, but it clearly wasn't a revelation to Yusuke.

"How long have you known him?" Yusuke asked curiously. Hiei wondered where he was going with this question.

"A couple of weeks, I guess," he said.

Yusuke's eyes widened. "A couple of weeks?" he asked. "Wow. I thought it was longer than that."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Hiei asked.

"I've known him since I was about twelve," Yusuke declared.

Was this a competition? Was Hiei supposed to feel jealous? "So?" he asked defensively.

"So, I know him," Yusuke said. "He's carrying around a lot of guilt, especially when it comes to his mother. He feels like he somehow owes her something. He'd die before he ever let her suffer."

"I figured that," Hiei muttered, annoyed.

Yusuke frowned at him. "I don't think you understand just how deep that guilt runs," he said.

"You can't possibly be okay with just letting him do it. Aren't you his friend?" Hiei demanded.

"Yeah. And here's another thing you should know about Kurama. Once he's made up his mind to do something, he'll do it. No matter what you say." Yusuke's expression was serious. "You can't stop him."

"So you won't do anything?" Hiei asked, stunned.

Yusuke laughed but there was a bitter edge to it. "Of course I'm going to do something," he said. "I'm going to make sure that if he does hand himself over to the Syndicate, then he has a way out."

"A way out?" Hiei asked curiously.

"Yeah. Koenma's looking into it. The fact is, you're the best spy we have. We just need to make sure no one questions your loyalty. Besides, aren't you the only one who knows what your sister looks like?"

Hiei hadn't considered that. Of course no one else would know Yukina. She wasn't in Koenma's files, probably because she never left the complex, even as a child.

"We just have to keep Kurama's mum safe until we have everything we need," Yusuke said.

Hiei felt stupid. They'd been three steps ahead of him already. They knew Minamino that well.

Yusuke turned back to the game and resumed playing, his fingers dancing over the controller in a pattern Hiei could not decipher. He was about to leave when Yusuke's voice floated to him.

"I'm going into town tomorrow to pick up some things for the old hag. If you come, I'm pretty sure Kurama will come as well. And I bet you have a shopping list as long as your arm."

That was true, but there was a problem. "I don't have any money," Hiei informed him. "I'm not sure if it's safe to access my bank account."

"Koenma's paying. Don't feel bad about it. The guy is rolling in dough." Yusuke's eyes remained fixed on the screen, his fighter's motions a blur of bright colour.

"Sure," Hiei mumbled before he left. He didn't know if Yusuke heard him or not.

-0-

Minamino did agree to the shopping trip when Hiei asked him over dinner. Botan cheerfully provided them with a list of groceries that she needed for the temple. Yusuke groaned when he saw how long the list was.

"I don't even know what half this stuff is," he complained.

Minamino plucked the note from his hand and tucked it into his pocket after skimming it briefly. Botan gave him a grateful smile.

"If you bothered to help around this place more, maybe you'd know," Genkai griped at Yusuke.

"Shut up, you old hag," Yusuke complained. "I do plenty around here."

That earned him confused looks from both Botan and Minamino.

"What does he do around here?" Botan asked Minamino in a whisper that was audible to the entire table. Yusuke scowled at her.

"I am not sure," Minamino confessed, though his eyes were dancing merrily.

Yusuke crossed his arms and glared at both of them. "Everyone's a comedian," he muttered.

Hiei wondered if Minamino would seek out his company that night but Minamino retired to his own room after dinner. Hiei left him alone. He didn't want Minamino to think that he was being too pushy.

-0-

The next day dawned with a chill breeze. Yusuke and Minamino waited in the living room for Hiei as they prepared to leave.

Hiei finally entered, wearing a long-sleeved shirt and jeans. Minamino looked him over critically.

"Where is your jacket?" he asked.

"I didn't bring one," Hiei informed him grumpily.

Yusuke gave him an incredulous look. "Really?" he asked.

Hiei's only answer was a scowl.

Minamino frowned thoughtfully, then looked over at Yusuke. "Did Kuwabara leave any of his clothes here?" he asked.

"Ah, yeah," Yusuke said. "He always keeps some clothes here. We both do."

"Would a jacket perhaps be among those clothes?" Minamino asked patiently.

"Don't know," Yusuke said. "I'll go check." He left the room, leaving Hiei alone with Minamino.

Minamino stepped closer to Hiei. He also wore jeans and a t-shirt, like Hiei but over his arm was slung a tan jacket. Hiei was pleased that it wasn't the hideous orange one he'd worn to the university on the day they'd gone to the cafe.

"The weather is quite chilly, is it not?" Minamino asked.

So, we're talking about the weather now, Hiei wondered. Out loud, he said, "I suppose so."

"You must have been in quite a hurry to leave your apartment," Minamino commented. "To not think to pack a jacket."

Hiei looked away from him, into the kitchen where Botan bustled around, cleaning the countertops. Truthfully, he'd only grabbed what had been immediately at hand. His only real priority had been Yukina's necklace, which was still around his neck, hidden underneath his shirt.

A thought occurred to him then. Perhaps he could use his sister's necklace to find out more about her. It had worked with the gem that Koenma had given him. He no longer had that gem. He must have dropped it while he was in the vision, or while he was being carried to his room. It didn't matter. Hopefully using Yukina's necklace would garner similar results. It might even work better. Hope stirred in Hiei's chest, along with resolve.

"Hiei?"

Minamino's soft voice roused him from his thoughts. Hiei blinked. Yusuke had returned and was eyeing him suspiciously. Minamino held out a blue jacket to Hiei.

Hiei took it and tried it on. It was a little broad in the shoulders, and a little long, but it would do the job.

"Thanks," he said to both of them.

Minamino gave him a faint smile. Yusuke waved his gratitude away.

"Whatever," he said. "Let's get going before that old hag decides to add anything else to the list."

The small group would be travelling to the nearest town via bus as none of them had a car. It turned out that the car Minamino had used on their date to the restaurant had belonged to his mother.

It took an hour and a half to reach the town. Hiei sat at the window with Minamino beside him. Minamino spent the entire ride with his nose buried in a book. Yusuke sat in front of them and turned around in his seat so he could quiz Hiei about his time in the Syndicate.

Hiei felt that he had no reason to not be forthcoming about his past so he humoured Yusuke, answering his questions as honestly as he could. He was a little surprised that Minamino wasn't interrogating him as well.

But a quick glance over at the redhead showed him that Minamino wasn't as absorbed in his book as he appeared to be. His head was tilted slightly towards Hiei and Hiei suspected that he was actually listening to their conversation rather than reading.

The town was small and had only one shopping centre but Minamino and Yusuke assured Hiei that it had everything they needed. The first item on their shopping list was clothing for Hiei.

Hiei was careful with his purchases, despite Yusuke's assurances that Koenma could definitely afford it. He didn't want to owe someone he barely knew more than he could pay back.

After that, the group sat down to lunch. Hiei was sipping his cup of coffee and waiting for Yusuke to finish his hamburger and fries when they were interrupted.

A soft gasp from Minamino alerted Hiei to the presence of another party. He looked up to see a familiar face.

Minamino shot out of his chair so fast that he almost knocked over Yusuke's milkshake. "Mother!" he exclaimed.

The smiling woman weaved through the tables and chairs to give her son a quick hug. Behind her came a man about Hiei's age. He was broad-shouldered and obviously fit. Despite his large bulk, he moved easily. His hair was dyed orange and styled into a pompadour. Hiei immediately didn't like the hairstyle. He thought it was unnecessarily flashy.

"What are you doing here, Mother?" Minamino demanded, gripping Shiori's shoulders a little too tightly. His face was etched with sharp fear and his eyes held a hard glint.

"Kazuma said you would be coming into town today," she said happily, oblivious to the extent of her son's worry. She reached up and rubbed Minamino's arm gently. Minamino retracted his grip reluctantly. "He offered to bring me here so I could see you," she continued.

Minamino's eyes flicked to the stranger, who had to be Kazuma Kuwabara, Hiei decided. Behind Shiori's back, the big man shrugged his shoulders in a helpless gesture. Minamino still looked displeased.

"Hey, Ms. Minamino," Yusuke said, rising to greet the woman.

"Yusuke," she said with a warm smile. "It's been such a long time. Look how you've grown."

Yusuke looked quite proud and Hiei had to hide a smirk.

"And how is Keiko?" Shiori asked him.

Minamino had been forced to step aside as Shiori had greeted Yusuke and now he looked very uncertain, his eyes darting everywhere around the eatery, scrutinising the people around them as if he expected one of them to suddenly jump up and pull out a rifle.

Kuwabara stepped over to him and slung a friendly arm around his shoulders. "We need to talk," he told Minamino. Shiori and Yusuke were too distracted with catching up on news to mind Kuwabara's words but Hiei heard them. As Kuwabara guided a tense Minamino away from the table, Hiei followed them.

Kuwabara stopped outside the eatery, in front of a pet shop. He noticed Hiei and scowled.

"Shove off, man," he told Hiei.

"It's all right, Kuwabara," Minamino assured him. "He is working with us."

Kuwabara looked unconvinced. "This that Hiei guy?" he asked. "How do you know you can trust him?"

"I just know I can," Minamino said. Hiei wondered if he really meant that or if he was just saying it to get Kuwabara to back off. "Now, please tell me why you brought my mother here today."

Kuwabara frowned as he was recalled to the reason why he'd came in the first place. "Ah, yeah," he said uncomfortably. "I couldn't just leave her alone. And my sister's working today so she couldn't - "

"Kuwabara," Minamino interrupted.

"rRight, sorry," the man said sheepishly. "Well, I didn't want to say too much on the phone but I've been noticing this guy hanging around. I'm sure he's up to something."

"What does he look like?" Minamino asked.

"He's got long black hair and always dresses in dark colours," Kuwabara said.

Hiei scowled. "That could describe a lot of people," he pointed out.

"Who do you know in the Syndicate who fits that description?" Minamino inquired.

"Karasu, for one," Hiei said. "Sekyo, but why he'd be tailing someone, I don't know. I think he's too highly ranked for that. Yomi. Again, I doubt it's him. Kuronue…" Hiei trailed off uncertainly, giving a shrug of his shoulders. "Whoever it is, it's bad news. I don't think we have much time left."

Minamino glanced back over at his mother, who had taken his place at the table as she talked with Yusuke. As he watched, a waitress set a cup of tea down in front of her.

"Don't worry, man," Kuwabara said. "I won't let anyone hurt her."

"I know," Minamino said. "But Hiei is right. This arrangement will not work for much longer. You have your own life which you will need to return to soon. To say nothing of the fact that my mother will soon become suspicious."

"Well, if you come up with a plan, let me know if I can help," Kuwabara said. "And if that guy tries anything, I'll chop him into pieces and feed him to the koi in the park."

Minamino chuckled, his worried mask cracking for just a second. "Thank you, Kuwabara," he said.

They walked back to the table and joined Yusuke and Shiori. Shiori smiled at them as they sat down. Kuwabara dragged a chair over from a nearby table.

"I think it's wonderful that you are all helping Master Genkai out," she said.

For a moment, Hiei wasn't sure what she was talking about, then he remembered the excuse that Minamino had used to explain his absence to his mother.

"Ah, yeah," he said.

"Yeah. Grandma needs a lot of help," Yusuke added.

"Speaking of…" Minamino reached into his pocket and set the note that Botan had written onto the table.

Yusuke groaned. "I hate grocery shopping," he mumbled. Shiori chuckled.

"Would you like some help?" she asked.

"Mother, we can handle it," Minamino assured her.

Hiei reached over and snatched the note. "Come on, Yusuke," he said.

Yusuke looked startled, his eyes comically wide. "What?" he asked.

"We'll do it," Hiei said. "Minamino can stay here with his mother."

Minamino opened his mouth to object but Kuwabara cut him off. "Yeah, I'll go, too," he said, standing up.

Yusuke sighed, but stood up as well. "Fine," he muttered.

The three young men left Minamino alone with his mother.

"Why are we doing this?" Yusuke grumbled as he put a packet of cereal into the basket dangling from his arm.

"Because," Hiei snapped. He didn't want to explain that he wanted Minamino to have some time alone with his mother. If things went badly, which they very well might, this could be the last chance Minamino had to spend time with his mother. But he didn't want to share those depressing thoughts with these men. He doubted they would understand, anyway.

Yusuke scowled as he stepped into the next aisle. Cool air brushed Hiei's skin as Yusuke's expression lit up with delight. His eyes roved over the display of ice-cream containers greedily.

"Let's get some ice-cream," he said excitedly.

"It'll melt, you idiot," Kuwabara pointed out as he came up from behind them, his own basket piled high with fruit and vegetables.

Yusuke's face fell. "Yeah," he muttered. "Shit." He gave the ice-cream one final longing look before continuing down the aisle.

-0-

When they returned to the eatery, loaded up with grocery bags, Minamino was still there with his mother. He looked up as they approached and smiled when he saw the amount of bags they had.

"Did you find everything on the list?" he asked.

Yusuke glared at him. "I don't care if we didn't," he said. "I'm not going back in there."

Shiori laughed as Yusuke set down two of his bags at Minamino's feet. Kuwabara also set his own bags down. As the largest person in the group, he'd been carrying most of them.

"We should go, Ms. Minamino," he said. "It's a long drive back."

"Yes," Shiori agreed. She stood up, Minamino following her lead and rising from his own seat. He hugged her tightly. Hiei turned away, unable to watch the display of emotion.

"Take care of yourself, Mother," Minamino told her.

Shiori kissed his cheek. "You, too," she said. Then she turned to Yusuke and Hiei. "It was very nice to see you again, Hiei," she said. "You're welcome to come for dinner anytime."

"Thanks," Hiei said, staring down at his shoes. He had a hard time picturing what dinner at the Minamino's household would be like. Having dinner with the mother of someone he was sleeping with seemed like it would be really awkward. In fact, this whole scenario felt awkward.

"Mother," Minamino said exasperatedly. Yusuke laughed.

Shiori smiled fondly at the dark-haired boy. "You, as well, Yusuke," she said. "You're welcome, too."

"Ah, thanks," Yusuke said awkwardly.

Kuwabara clapped Minamino on the shoulder. "See you later, man," he said. "Tell Genkai hello for me."

"I will," Minamino told him.

Hiei stepped away from the group. Once again, he was reminded that they all knew each other already. He still felt like he didn't belong. He picked up several of the bags and started to walk towards the entrance that led to the bus terminal.

Once outside, he sat on the bench and set the grocery bags down at his feet. About fifteen minutes later, Yusuke and Minamino joined him.

"You all right, man?" Yusuke asked Minamino as they sat down.

"Yes. I am fine," Minamino answered. But his voice sounded flat and his eyes were distant.

"Everything will be fine," Yusuke said.

"Don't say that," Hiei said.

Yusuke elbowed him in the ribs. "Hey," he said admonishingly.

Hiei glared at him. "You don't know that everything will be fine," he snapped. "And Minamino isn't stupid. He knows that, so why bother lying to him?"

Yusuke met his glare. "Have you ever heard of optimism?" he demanded.

"Please," Minamino interjected. "That is enough."

Yusuke and Hiei fell silent. When the bus arrived, Yusuke was the first to rise. He grabbed some of the bags and stomped up the bus steps. Minamino glanced sideways at Hiei, a small frown on his face. Then he followed Yusuke's lead.

Minamino slipped into the window seat and Hiei didn't object. He spent the entire ride gazing out the window, completely absorbed in the view, though Hiei wondered if he was really seeing it at all. Perhaps his mind was somewhere else entirely.

Yusuke, who was sitting behind them this time, tried to speak to him, but Minamino did not respond. Finally Yusuke started searching through the bags, looking for a manga that he'd bought. Hiei found it in one of the bags at his feet and passed it back to Yusuke.

Hiei was almost asleep when something smacked him lightly on the back of the head. He twisted around to glare at Yusuke.

"What?" he demanded.

Yusuke waved the manga in his face. "Wanna read it?" he asked. "I'm finished with it."

Hiei scrutinised the cover, then finally shrugged. "All right," he said. He took the manga from Yusuke and turned around in his seat, settling down to read.


	15. Chapter 15

Hiei was just hanging up the last of his new shirts in his small closet when a soft knock sounded on his door.

"Come in," he said, without turning around. The door creaked open.

"Hiei? Are you busy?" Minamino's soft voice inquired.

Hiei turned to face the redhead. Minamino stood by the door, his hand resting on its edge.

"No," Hiei told him. "I'm just putting this stuff away."

Minamino stepped fully into the room and closed the door behind him. His eyes skimmed the room as he turned towards Hiei. They paused on the manga sitting on Hiei's bed. His lips twitched upward slightly. Hiei glared at him, daring Minamino to comment.

Yusuke had shown up an hour earlier, just after dinner, with several more volumes of the manga that Hiei had been reading on the bus. He had muttered something about borrowing, and then had left quickly. He was uncomfortable, Hiei guessed. The gesture made him uncomfortable himself. The idea that he might be growing closer to these people bothered him.

He was fine with forming a deeper relationship with Minamino but imagining himself being friends with Yusuke was a lot harder. He wondered if Yusuke would expect something from him in return.

"Kuwabara has quite a large collection of manga, if you are interested," Minamino said. "He does occasionally lend them out."

"I'll keep that in mind," Hiei said, though he had no intention of asking Kuwabara for anything.

Minamino gave a small nod, his hair shifting slightly. "I could ask for you, if you like," he offered.

"No," Hiei said firmly. "If I want to, then I'll do it myself. I don't need anyone else's help."

Minamino looked taken aback, his expression shifting to become apologetic. "I am sorry," he said. "I did not mean to imply that you were incapable."

Hiei moved to his futon and picked up the manga. He set them down on his desk before turning back to Minamino, who was still standing where he had been, his hands in his pockets.

"What do you want?" Hiei asked him.

Minamino shrugged. "Nothing," he said. "Can I not just come to you to talk?"

"About nothing?" Hiei asked.

Minamino's face split into a smile and Hiei was relieved to see it. Previously, Minamino had an air of melancholy around him but the smile had banished it, as if he'd shed a cloak.

"About nothing, or anything," he said.

"I think you talk too much," Hiei grumbled.

Minamino's smile remained in place, but turned fond. "Will you come for a walk with me?" he asked.

Hiei glanced out the window. The sun was setting, turning the white snow dusting the ground orange. Flakes still floated down, landing silently on the thickening carpet.

"Out there?" Hiei asked, turning back to Minamino.

"Yes," Minamino said.

Sighing, Hiei gathered up his new coat. It was long and black, of course. It was a lot like the one that was still back at his apartment.

Minamino stopped by his room to get his own coat. Hiei looked around with interest. Minamino's room was crammed with plants. Plants that were surprisingly healthy, considering the season.

Hiei walked over to study a particularly fragrant blue flower with oddly-shaped petals.

"Please do not touch that one," Minamino said from behind him. "It is poisonous."

Hiei stepped back hastily, wondering just how poisonous it was. "If it's dangerous, then why are you keeping it here?" he asked.

"Because I need its seeds," Minamino informed him.

"Um." Hiei glanced uneasily around himself at the sea of greenery he stood in. "How many of these plants are poisonous?"

Minamino chuckled darkly. "Many," he said. His jacket was draped over his arm.

Hiei regarded him warily, wondering if Minamino were teasing him. He decided not to chance it. "Let's go," he said, keeping his distance from the plants as he exited the room. Minamino followed him, laughing quietly.

Their footsteps crunched in the snow as Minamino led Hiei into the forest. The sunlight was fading fast and Hiei hoped that Minamino knew where he was going.

"Do you come out here a lot?" Hiei asked him.

"Out into the forest?" Minamino asked. "Quite a lot, I suppose."

"No, I mean to the temple," Hiei clarified.

"Ah." Minamino ducked under a low-hanging branch and Hiei followed suit a moment later. He answered as he straightened. "I came out here quite a lot when I was younger," he said. "But this is the first time I have returned in years."

Curiosity stirred inside Hiei. "Why?" he asked. "Why did you stop coming out here?"

Minamino didn't answer immediately. Hiei had to wait several minutes, pacing behind Minamino as the man followed a path only he knew, stepping over fallen branches and ducking beneath low-hanging tree branches while dodging around tree trunks. Hiei began to think that Minamino had forgotten his question, or had not heard it in the first place.

But Minamino's voice eventually floated back to Hiei. "I suppose I felt that I had achieved my goal," he said. "And there was no need to return."

"But-" Hiei started, then fell silent. Something about Minamino's answer hadn't seemed right but he couldn't put his finger on what exactly.

Then they broke out of the trees. Hiei stopped dead as he stared at what lay in front of him. He couldn't help but feel awed.

"Worth the walk, is it not?" Minamino asked, looking back over his shoulder at Hiei, his smile knowing.

Hiei could only mutely nod. Before him was a beach, the sand mostly lost under the white snow. The sea stretched out, dark and endless. Above them, the stars twinkled in the sky.

"We used to camp out here," Minamino said, moving forward onto the beach. His coat whipped about in the wind and his hair fanned out behind him. Hiei followed him.

The two of them stood side-by-side, watching the tide lap at the snow-covered sand.

After some time, Minamino broke the silence. "I apologise for bringing up a difficult subject at this time," he said quietly. "But I still feel that my plan is a good one."

Hiei knew exactly what plan he was referring to and his first reaction was anger. "I don't-"

Minamino raised one hand, cutting him off with the gesture. "Please," he said. "I do not wish to argue about it."

Hiei deflated. "Then why did you bring it up?" he asked grumpily.

"Because I was hoping that, instead of outright rejecting it, you would help me find a way to make it work," Minamino said.

Hiei blinked stupidly at him. Was this a compromise of sorts?

"You were right, in a sense," Minamino said. "My decision was hasty. But, as I am sure you realised today, time is short. Please understand that I simply cannot stand by and allow my mother to be harmed because of me, under any circumstances."

Hiei felt sick but he nodded. He did understand Minamino's point of view, but still, the thought of losing Minamino made his stomach twist painfully.

"I can't lose you," he admitted. As soon as the words left his lips, he wanted to take them back. It felt much too personal. As if he were admitting weakness. And love was a weakness. Look at what it was doing to Minamino. He was willing to die for his mother. To sacrifice his own life to save hers. A weakness that the Syndicate would exploit.

And, in fact, were exploiting, right now. They'd not even had to lay a hand on Minamino's mother, yet he was already planning to surrender to them. It was a terrifyingly effective strategy.

Minamino stepped close to Hiei and reached up to touch his cheek. Hiei realised that he was crying and angrily wiped his sleeve across his face, banishing the traitorous tears.

"I would stay, if I could," Minamino said, his voice barely above a whisper, and Hiei was stunned to hear it crack. "Oh, I wish I could."

He kissed Hiei gently. Hiei pulled him close and kissed him back. He was crying again but he didn't care. There was no one here except Minamino to see. And that was okay because Minamino was crying too.

-0-

The sun was just peeking over the horizon when Hiei and Minamino returned to the temple. Minamino opted to remain in the courtyard and settled himself on a bench near the pond. Hiei went inside the temple to shower.

Genkai's crotchety voice greeted him when he entered the kitchen. She was making tea. "You're up early," she said to Hiei.

"Yeah," Hiei said.

Genkai's eyes followed him as he made himself a plate of cereal.

"Have you been practicing with your jagan?" she asked.

"A little," Hiei lied. The truth was that he hadn't tried using his jagan again at all. Yet. He still planned to try to use his sister's necklace to see her again.

Genkai frowned at him. "I know there's a lot going on right now," she said. "But it's important that you don't neglect your powers. We may need them very soon."

Hiei thought of how Minamino had acted last night. As if it were the last time they might ever have together. Everyone was on edge, waiting for the explosion.

After he finished his cereal, Hiei returned to the courtyard, hoping to still find Minamino there, but he was gone. Hiei settled himself on the ground with his back resting against a tree trunk. It was the same tree that Minamino had been sitting under when Hiei had seen him with his jagan.

Hiei reached beneath his shirt and tugged his sister's gem free. It rested in his palm. Small, perfectly round and a aquamarine colour. It felt warm in his palm.

He closed his eyes and opened his jagan. The vision came almost immediately. He saw his sister strapped to a chair. Her body was covered with wires. Her eyes were squeezed shut and she looked as though she was in a great deal of pain.

Dr. Ichigaki stood beside the chair, fiddling with some of the wires. His mouth was moving, as if he were talking to someone, but Hiei couldn't see who.

And then his sister's eyes opened. They seemed to lock straight onto Hiei. He felt as if she was staring right at him. But that couldn't be right.

Her lips moved, as if she were saying his name. Then a single tear ran down her cheek. It crystallised in mid-air, landing on her lap.

Dr. Ichigaki picked it up and examined it, turning it over in his wrinkled fingers. Then he passed it to someone else.

Hiei closed his jagan, his stomach churning. The gems were his sister's tears. They were using his sister's pain to line their own pockets. Anger filled him. He couldn't believe that they had lied to him about his sister. That she had been alive all this time. And so close to him.

"That is quite pretty."

The familiar voice made Hiei look up in surprise. Minamino stood above him. His hair was still damp from a shower and he wore fresh clothes. His green eyes were studying the gemstone in Hiei's hand. Hiei tucked it back under his shirt self-consciously.

"It's nothing," he said.

Minamino sat down beside him. "It looks rather like the gems Koenma showed us," he said.

Hiei's blood turned to ice-water in his veins. He knew that he shouldn't fear the others finding out about the gem but he was afraid that if they knew about it, they would take it away from him.

"But I am hardly an expert on rare gems," Minamino continued. "They all look the same to me." He gave Hiei a friendly smile.

Liar, Hiei thought. Minamino had been a thief in his life as Kurama. He must have learned something about valuable gemstones, in order to tell the fake ones from the real thing. But Hiei didn't call Minamino out on his lie. Instead, he let it pass.

"What do you want?" Hiei asked him.

"I came to tell you that Koenma will be arriving after lunch," Minamino said. "Apparently he has something he thinks will help us."

"About time," Hiei grumbled.

"Yes," Minamino agreed. He fiddled with a blade of grass. Hiei watched him with a frown. That sort of behaviour was unusual for him. It seemed to indicate to Hiei that Minamino was nervous about something.

Finally, Minamino spoke. "I am curious," he said.

"Like a fox," Hiei interjected, earning himself a small smile from Minamino.

"Like a fox," he agreed. "What are your plans for the future?"

"The future?" Hiei asked blankly. He hadn't thought much about it, beyond getting Yukina to safety.

"What will you do when you have your sister back? How will you support yourself financially when you no longer work for the Syndicate?"

Those were fair questions. What kind of a job could Hiei get with no experience? He certainly didn't want to continue working as an assassin.

"I haven't really thought about it," he admitted. "What about you? Will you just go back to being a university student?"

"Of course," Minamino said. "Provided that option is available to me."

Hiei glared at him. "Why wouldn't it be?" he demanded. Minamino's fatalistic attitude was getting on his nerves. He seemed to believe that there was no alternative to sacrificing his life.

"I must consider all possibilities," Minamino said, though he didn't meet Hiei's gaze.

"I don't think you are," Hiei grumbled.

"I assure you, I am." And Minamino sounded just a little testy.

"Do you think whatever Koenma is bringing will help us?" Hiei asked curiously.

"Perhaps," Minamino said. "It is difficult to predict with Koenma. Sometimes his gadgets are useful and sometimes they are not."

"Does he steal them, too?" Hiei inquired.

Minamino shrugged. "I am not sure," he admitted. "Possibly."

"Has he ever asked you to steal anything for him?"

Minamino frowned. "No," he said.

"If he did, would you?" Hiei asked.

"No," Minamino repeated. He sounded very sure of himself. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason." Truthfully, Hiei was worried that Koenma's aid would come with a price. Would Koenma expect Hiei to work for him if they rescued Yukina?

"Bo-oys!"

Botan's cheerful call echoed through the air. Minamino stood up. "Perhaps Koenma is early," he said. He held out a hand to Hiei. After a moment of hesitation, Hiei took it. Minamino helped him to his feet. They walked together back towards the temple.


	16. Chapter 16

Hiei looked around in confusion as he and Minamino entered the living room. Botan was sitting at the table, a bright, welcoming smile on her face. The tea was already set out.

"Where's Koenma?" Hiei demanded.

"He'll be here soon," Botan said.

"Thank you, Botan," Minamino said, joining her at the table and picking up his teacup. After a moment, Hiei sat down next to him.

Yusuke stepped into the room, covering a yawn with his hand as he did so. "This had better be important," he grumbled. His dark hair was sticking up all over the place, making him look like a porcupine was sitting on his head, and he was still wearing what appeared to be his pyjamas.

"Good morning, Yusuke," Minamino said.

"Hmph." Yusuke sat down beside Botan.

Hiei wasn't very fond of tea so his teacup remained untouched. Genkai entered the room with Koenma trailing behind him. In Koenma's hands was a wooden box a few inches long. He set it down on the table as he joined them.

"I've been searching through our archives for anything that might help us," he said. "I found this."

He opened the lid of the box and lifted out something long and thin.

"Is that a… wand?" Hiei asked in disbelief.

Yusuke started laughing. "Where's Harry Potter?" he asked, waving his hand in the air as if he was casting a spell.

Koenma glared at him, his dark eyes sparking with indignation. "This is a very valuable artefact," he snapped. "If it fell into the wrong hands, it could cause us a lot of problems."

Yusuke did not look convinced. "Can it turn Kuwabara into a mouse?" he asked.

"No," Koenma snapped. "This device is a one-way portal."

"Portal?" Minamino inquired.

"Yes. If you break the wand, it will form a portal to wherever this box is located." Koenma tapped the wooden box with the wand.

Hiei studied the box. It looked just like a plain wooden box to him. He found it surprising that the box was as magical as the item it held.

"We have to break it?" Minamino asked. "This is a one-use item?"

"Yes." Koenma's expression was downcast. "this was all we had. It's never been tested, for obvious reasons. Once it is broken, it cannot be remade."

"May I?" Minamino held out his hand and Koenma handed the wand to him. Minamino studied it closely, running his fingers along it's wooden length.

"So… Hiei goes in and finds his sister, then uses this?" Yusuke asked.

"Yes," Koenma said. "Unless someone has a better idea?" He looked hopefully around the table.

"But that doesn't fix Kurama's problem," Yusuke pointed out.

"Unless someone kills Yomi," Hiei suggested quietly.

Minamino's green eyes moved to Hiei. He pursed his lips. "That is very risky," he said. "Yomi is a very skilled fighter. He will not go down easily. Also, as soon as Yomi is attacked, alarms will go off. I could see one objective possibly being accomplished. But two?"

Hiei's heart sank. Minamino was right. If he went after Yukina first, then tried to go after Yomi, he would be unlikely to even reach Yomi. Also, Yukina would be in danger while Hiei was distracted with Yomi.

But the same was true of the reverse scenario. If he went after Yomi first, he would never reach Yukina.

To say nothing of the fact that he had no idea where Yukina was even located. He was assuming that she was kept in the Syndicate building only because Dr. Ichigaki had been present during his last vision. But he had no idea which floor she was on. They would need to buy time for Hiei to search.

"It seems to me as if this is a two-person job," Genkai said.

"I'm going," Yusuke said before anyone else could volunteer.

"No," Minamino said. "I will go along with Hiei."

"What?" Yusuke demanded, directing an irate glare at Minamino. "No fucking way, Kurama."

Minamino met his glare with steely emerald eyes. "I know Yomi," he said. "I know how he fights. I can beat him. And probably keep him distracted long enough for Hiei to locate his sister. Then I will kill Yomi and meet up with Hiei. We will leave together."

"I don't like it," Yusuke snapped. "What if the shrimp takes off with his sister and leaves you high and dry?"

"Hiei would not do that," Minamino said, his voice soft but with an undercurrent of anger.

Yusuke crossed his arms over his chest, unconvinced. "You're willing to put your life in the hands of someone you barely know?" he demanded. "Just let me go. I'll kick Yomi's ass."

"No," Minamino repeated. His tone was icy, indicating that the matter was closed.

Hiei stared down at the table, wondering if he should weigh in on the debate or not. It seemed that no one was interested in his opinion, however. Personally, he had hoped that Yusuke would accompany him instead of Minamino. But it seemed as if Minamino was set on this course of action, and, like a targeted missile, he would not stray.

"Kurama-" Yusuke started.

"I will not argue with you, Yusuke," Minamino said, putting the wand back into the box. "My decision is made."

And nobody else gets a fucking say, Hiei thought resentfully. That fox and his stupid plans.

Minamino stood and left the table.

"Kurama…" Botan said softly. But Minamino ignored her and entered the hall. Hiei listened to his footfalls receding down the hallway. Seeing no point in remaining, he stood up as well.

Yusuke's brown eyes locked onto him. "Talk him out of it," he said. "Make him stay." His eyes held a plea.

 _I would stay, if I could._

Hiei's heart ached. "I'll try," he said. "But I can't make any promises."

Yusuke scowled but nodded. He stood up and stalked out of the room. Hiei heard the shoji leading into the courtyard open then close.

Koenma shared a look with Genkai. Botan chewed anxiously on her fingernail.

"Oh, dear…" she said. "I wish none of you had to go."

Hiei left, following Minamino's path down the hall. He rapped on the fox's door, then waited a moment. When he received no answer, he opened the door.

Minamino was standing by the window, his fingers buried among the leaves of one of his plants. He looked up at Hiei's entrance, his green eyes startled.

"Sorry," Hiei said, realising that Minamino probably hadn't heard his knock.

Minamino smiled weakly at him. "Come to talk me out of going, have you?" he asked.

"Yeah," Hiei admitted. He remained by the door, too nervous to breach the small jungle Minamino had created. He hadn't forgotten that some of these plants were poisonous.

In fact, some of them also seemed to have teeth. A yellow flower appeared to be yawning, displaying several rows of needle-sharp points.

"I will not change my mind," Minamino said. "I will go, with or without you."

"You don't have to. Yusuke can-"

"No, he cannot. Yusuke has never fought Yomi before and has no idea what to expect," Minamino raised his hand and buried it in his mass of red hair.

"So tell him," Hiei suggested.

"No. This is not his fight. It is mine," Minamino said stubbornly.

Hiei felt like growling. Dealing with Minamino was incredibly frustrating.

"Would you let anyone else rescue your sister? Would you trust Yusuke to save her?" Minamino asked, turning towards him.

"Fuck," Hiei muttered, realising that he'd just lost the argument. There was no way he'd entrust his sister's safety to anyone else. Minamino's eyes glittered, full of victory, though his expression remained serious.

Hiei glared at him. "Just remember," he snapped. "That if you don't come back, your mother will be very upset."

Minamino's expression crumpled, his eyes full of shock and hurt. Without waiting for a response, Hiei turned on his heel and left the room. Let Minamino stew on that for a while. Hopefully, it would make him think twice about his suicidal plan.

Yusuke was leaning against the opposite wall of the hall as Hiei stepped outside Minamino's room. He waited until Hiei closed the door before speaking. "No luck?" he asked.

"No," Hiei told him.

Yusuke scowled. "Bastard," he muttered. He pushed off from the wall and approached Hiei. He grabbed a fistful of Hiei's shirt.

"If you don't come back with him, I'm gonna kick your ass," he threatened. He kept his voice low, probably so Minamino didn't hear him, Hiei guessed.

Hiei wasn't someone who was easily intimidated and he met Yusuke's glare with one of his own.

"I'm not going to leave him behind," he snapped.

"You'd better not," Yusuke growled. Then he released Hiei's shirt and walked away.

-0-

The plan was a simple one. Hiei would bring Minamino in, then Minamino would deal with Yomi while Hiei would search for his sister.

Hiei wasn't happy with the plan but Minamino had insisted that trying to overthink it would get them into trouble. There were far too many unknowns and a more detailed plan would require making assumptions that could prove incorrect.

Minamino sat on Hiei's sofa in his apartment, a cup of tea cradled in his hands. The television was on in the background, the sound low. The images on the screen seemed like an ill omen. The program was a news story on the brewing tension between the western and eastern nations. The conflict hadn't devolved to all-out war yet, but everyone was on tenterhooks, anxiously waiting for the seemingly-inevitable eruption of violence.

"Are you sure about this?" hiei asked Minamino.

"The drug will not harm me," Minamino assured him. "It will just knock me out for a short time. Just long enough for you to get me into the building."

"I wasn't talking about the drug," Hiei informed him.

Minamino sighed. "It is too late to turn back now," he pointed out. "You have already called Yomi."

Hiei nodded numbly. Several minutes earlier he had called his former boss, informing him that he had Minamino unconscious in his apartment. Yomi was sending someone to bring them in.

"You could still leave," Hiei said. "Before he shows up."

"And then we are right back where we started," Minamino said. "Do you have the wand?"

Hiei nodded. He had it tucked in the waistband of his pants, hidden beneath his shirt. He would have preferred that Minamino have it, but Minamino had pointed out that the Syndicate might have him searched. Hiei had reluctantly taken the artefact. The box had remained at the temple.

"Well…" Minamino stared down into the murky depths of his teacup for a moment, before raising his eyes to meet Hiei's. "There is no point in delaying any further, I think."

He drained the cup in several swallows. Hiei took it from him when he was finished and set it on the coffee table.

"How long until it takes effect?" he asked Minamino.

"Not long," Minamino said. He leaned back against the sofa. Hiei sat down beside him and wrapped his arms around him. Minamino rested his head on Hiei's shoulder. Hiei buried his fingers in Minamino's hair.

"Yusuke is going to kick my ass if I don't bring you back," Hiei told him.

Minamino laughed softly. "That sounds like Yusuke," he said. His eyes fluttered and he closed them.

Hiei held him as Minamino's breaths slowly evened out and his body went slack against Hiei's.

"I love you," Hiei whispered into his hair. His only answer was Minamino's steady breathing. He had slipped into a place that Hiei's words could not reach. That was a relief, because those words were not something he was ready for Minamino to hear. But he couldn't let this moment pass without saying them. It might be his last chance. At least, if everything went wrong, he would know that he had said them, even if Minamino never heard them.

A knock on the apartment door made Hiei look up. He silently cursed. He wished he had more time.

He lowered Minamino onto the sofa, resting his head on a cushion, and then went to the door. When he opened it, he was greeted by the unwelcome sight of the Toguro brothers.

Ani sneered at him. "How did you get that little bastard?" he demanded.

Hiei glared at him. "Skill," he said.

Ani's expression darkened even further. "Not likely," he said.

"It doesn't matter," Otto interjected. He stepped forward and Hiei moved out of his way. Otto moved into the living room and observed the sleeping redhead on the couch.

"Good work," he said to Hiei over his shoulder. He reached down and lifted Minamino's limp body from the sofa, bringing him over his shoulder.

Hiei had to work hard to keep his face expressionless. He didn't want Otto's grimy hands all over Minamino, but he supposed it could be worse. It could be Ani's grimy hands all over him and Hiei was sure that if Ani tried to touch Minamino, Hiei would kill him.

Otto moved back towards the door. Hiei followed him, grabbing his coat and slipping his feet into his shoes as he went.

"You don't need to come in," Otto pointed out. "We can take it from here."

"I have a check-up," Hiei lied.

Otto gave a curt nod. "You might as well come with us, then," he said.

Hiei was relieved. He had been worried that Otto would argue the point, as Hiei's presence truly wasn't necessary, now that Minamino was incapacitated. But, so far, it seemed as though everything was going to plan.

The Toguros had commandeered a van for the occasion. Ani drove while Hiei sat shotgun. Otto sat in the back with Minamino. Hiei couldn't help but crane his neck around the seat every now and then, just to check on the pair. Minamino slept on, oblivious to his situation. Hiei envied him, though he knew that Minamino's peace would be short-lived.


	17. Chapter 17

Hiei reluctantly split off from the Toguro brothers as soon as they entered the Syndicate building. He wanted to start his search for Yukina immediately. He had no idea how long it would take to find her.

Unfortunately, just as he was approaching the elevator, he encountered Dr. Ichigaki stepping out of an office. He smiled cheerfully when he saw Hiei.

"Ah, I haven't seen you in a while, Hiei," Dr. Ichigaki said. "Why don't you come down for a check-up? We can get it over with."

Hiei had a strong urge to wrap his hands around the bastard's neck and strangle him until he divulged Yukina's location. But he resisted. This certainly wasn't the right place for that.

Instead, Hiei said, "I'm busy." It was his usual response when Ichigaki tried to arrange an unscheduled appointment.

"Now, now, it won't take long," Ichigaki said, his voice wheedling. "I haven't had a look at your jagan eye for some time."

Hiei swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. This would not be pleasant.

"All right," he said reluctantly.

Ichigaki gave him a bright smile. "Good," he said. Hiei followed him into the elevator.

-0-

Ichigaki held a magnifying lens up to Hiei's open jagan.

"I don't see the point in this," Hiei grumbled. "What can you possibly see in there?"

Ichigaki patted Hiei's knee, as if he were an impatient child. "Never mind," he said. He set the magnifying lens aside and turned his back to Hiei as he started to write down some notes.

Hiei's mind wandered back to his sister. What could the doctor have done to her to cause her to cry gemstones?

And then, another thought occurred to him. The jagan could see across distances. Could it also see into minds?

What did he have to lose by trying?

He focused on Dr. Ichigaki's back. The doctor was oblivious to Hiei's attention, writing busily in his notepad and occasionally murmuring to himself under his breath.

Hiei saw Ichigaki washing his hands in the bathroom basin. No. He pushed past that vision. Ichigaki taking blood from a young girl with feathers instead of hair. No. Ichigaki pressing a button on the elevator panel.

Five. Floor five. Hiei had never been down to that floor. There were rumours that no one who went down to that floor ever came back.

"Hiei?"

Hiei jerked in surprise. Ichigaki was giving him a curious look.

"What?" Hiei scowled.

"You looked as though you were falling asleep. Are you feeling all right?" Ichigaki asked.

He wasn't asking because he was actually concerned about Hiei's welfare. He was concerned about keeping a useful asset in working condition.

"I'm fine," Hiei snapped. He slid off the table.

"We're not done," Ichigaki said testily.

"Too bad," Hiei grumbled. He grabbed his coat from the back of a nearby chair and pulled it on.

"Hiei, don't be unreasonable," Ichigaki scolded him. "You know these tests are for your own good."

"Fuck off," Hiei muttered as he stepped out of the room.

He went straight to the elevator and punched the button for floor five. It seemed like the best place to start looking.

As the elevator made it's short descent, Hiei wondered what was taking Minamino so long. Surely there should have been some kind of alarm or outcry if Minamino had attacked Yomi, as he had planned. Had something gone wrong? Had the drug not worn off yet? Had they gotten the dosage wrong?

There was nothing he could do about that right now. Minamino would have to handle his own problems.

The elevator doors slid open and Hiei stepped out into a sterile white hall. Cold air brushed Hiei's face and he shivered. This hall also smelled of antiseptic, like the hall he'd just left.

Plain doors lined the hall at even intervals. There were clear panels in the doors that allowed someone to see into the room from the outside. Hiei walked down the hall, checking each room as he passed. They were all empty.

Hiei began to suspect that he'd made a mistake. Perhaps this floor wasn't even used at all? He had yet to encounter another person down here.

Then he passed an open door. Glancing into the room, he realised that it was the room from his second vision. The chair his sister had occupied now sat empty in the middle of the room, the straps dangling loose.

So he was on the right track. Hiei continued down the hall, hope blossoming in his chest. She had to be nearby.

Two doors down, Hiei found her. It was her hair that he caught sight of first, a green blur through the panel on the door. She was sitting on the bed, her head bowed.

Hiei immediately began to unlock the door. He was pleased to see that the lock was a plain deadlock, easy to open from the outside. Apparently, the Syndicate weren't concerned about people getting into the room, just people trying to get out of the room.

Hiei yanked the door open and stepped inside. The young woman's eyes immediately rose to his. They widened in shock.

"H-Hiei?" she asked. She stood slowly, looking him up and down, as if making sure that it really was him.

"Yukina?" he asked.

She pressed her hand to her mouth.

Hiei reached beneath his shirt and pulled out her necklace. He slid the chain over his head and held it out to her.

Silently she took it, her hand closing tightly around the stone.

"It is you, isn't it?" she breathed.

"I'm getting you out of here," Hiei told her. "We don't have a lot of time."

"O-out of… but, Hiei, they'll kill you," Yukina protested.

"I have a way out," Hiei assured her. She looked like she wasn't sure whether or not to believe him. He could see the fear in her crimson eyes, so much like his own, but somehow warmer.

"Trust me," Hiei said.

Finally, she nodded slowly. "Okay," she said. He held out his hand and she took it.

Hiei was about to leave the room when he remembered his misgivings about Minamino. How could he find out what was going on without alerting anyone to the fact that Yukina was with him? As soon as they got to the higher floors, someone was sure to see them.

"Wait one minute," Hiei told Yukina. She gave him a confused look. "I need to check something," he said.

From down the hall, Hiei could hear faint voices. He pushed the door shut, hoping that no one would notice that it was unlocked.

Then he opened his jagan and searched for Minamino. He had nothing with him to hone in on Minamino with, but he didn't need it. Just like with Genkai in the forest, He found Minamino easily.

He was strapped to a chair, just like Yukina had been. His body spasmed as electricity coursed through his veins. His mouth was gagged, muffling his screams and his eyes were wide and full of pain.

"No," Hiei whispered.

Just a few feet away, smiling like the Cheshire Cat, stood Yomi, his hands clasped behind his back. Beyond the chair, Otto Toguro leaned against the wall, looking bored behind his sunglasses.

Unable to bear the sight any longer, Hiei closed the jagan eye.

Yukina tugged insistently on his arm. "You have to go," she pleaded. "Someone's coming."

And the voices were getting louder.

Yusuke was going to kill him.

Hiei reached behind his back and tugged his shirt hem free from his slacks. He retrieved the wand. The wood was smooth beneath his sweaty fingers.

He hesitated. Minamino's terrified eyes filled his mind. But his sister was right in front of him, her grip on his arm hard enough to bruise, her own crimson eyes full of terror. She was afraid but not for herself. She was afraid for Hiei.

This wasn't over. He would come back. He would come back for him.

With one sharp movement, he snapped the wand in half. There was a feeling as though he'd been hit by a rush of air and then the air in front of him warped.

Beside him, Yukina gasped.

The portal was grey in colour. Looking through it was like looking through fog. There was no way to know where it led.

The temple, Hiei hoped.

He pushed a shocked Yukina through first, then stepped through behind her.

It felt like walking through fog, too. The mist choked his throat and clung to his skin, making him shiver.

But it only lasted a moment. Barely two steps in and they were stepping onto wooden floorboards.

Yukina clung to Hiei as she stared around herself with wide eyes. Genkai, Yusuke, Botan and Koenma were all standing there waiting for them. The wooden box sat in Koenma's hands.

Hiei let the broken pieces of the wand drop to the floor. The sound they made as they hit the floor was much louder to Hiei than it should have been. The portal made a soft popping noise as it closed behind Hiei.

"Where's Kurama?" Yusuke demanded, his eyes narrowed.

Hiei swallowed. "H-he.."

"Where is he?" Yusuke barked, taking a step forward.

Hiei braced himself. "He's still there," he said quietly. "I couldn't reach him."

It was almost a relief when Yusuke's fist smashed into his cheek. Blinding pain sent Hiei to his knees. He didn't even try to block Yusuke or defend himself. He deserved this.

"You fucking bastard!" Yusuke yelled. He kicked Hiei in the stomach, making him grunt.

"Please stop," Yukina pleaded. "Stop it!"

Hiei looked up through vision gone hazy to see her with her hands raised as if to ward off something. Botan wrapped an arm around her shoulders and tried to pull her away but Yukina refused to move. She knelt beside Hiei, wrapping her arm around his shoulders.

"You were supposed to bring him back!" Yusuke yelled at Hiei. Then he rounded on Koenma. "I'm going to get him," he said stubbornly.

"You can't," Koenma said. He looked far too calm.

Yusuke balled his hands into fists. They began to glow ominously. "Watch me," he snapped.

"Yusuke," Genkai said. She didn't yell but her voice made everyone turn towards her. "Think about it. If you rush in there now, they will capture you also."

"But… we can't just leave him there," Yusuke protested.

"We will get him back," Koenma promised. "Somehow."

Yusuke's shoulders slumped. Without another word, he turned from them and left the room.

Genkai sighed. Hiei slowly stood up. He spat into his hand. Flecks of blood landed on his palm.

"You'd better tell us what happened," Genkai said.

-0-

Botan offered to heal Hiei's injuries but Hiei refused. He felt that Yusuke's actions had been deserved, and, in fact, he'd gotten off much more lightly than he'd expected.

Yusuke left the temple soon after Hiei's return and did not come back. Kuwabara did visit, though, and reassured them that Shiori Minamino was no longer being stalked by suspicious characters, though she was very upset about her missing son. She had called the police but, understandably, the investigation had turned up nothing.

Hiei felt awful for Shiori. He couldn't bring himself to face her, knowing that he was responsible for her son's disappearance.

Hiei had tried to search out Minamino with his jagan again, hoping for some clue as to how to rescue him from the Syndicate but the visions were fuzzy. Eventually, they became completely indistinct. He was left with the sense that there was something seriously wrong with Minamino.

Both Yukina and Hiei remained at the temple, having nowhere else to go. Koenma had offered to have false identification papers done up for them so that they could make a new life for themselves somewhere far away from the Syndicate, but Hiei refused. He wanted to stay close to Minamino.

Yukina also refused, wanting to stay close to her brother.

Plans for retrieving Minamino were made, and discarded, one after the other. The task seemed impossible. They just didn't have the numbers or the firepower, despite Yusuke's insistence that he could take on the entire Syndicate single-handed.

And Hiei's prediction about the loss of Yukina not truly affecting the organisation proved correct. They continued to kidnap and experiment on children and steal mysterious and valuable artefacts.

Months passed, and Hiei began to wonder if Yomi had actually killed Minamino. The thought provided a bittersweet kind of comfort. If Minamino were dead, at least he would be free of pain.

But, two long years later, Hiei would learn that Minamino was still alive.

In a sense.


	18. Chapter 18

Yomi listened to the ragged breathing of the unconscious man in the chair. His former partner. He'd dreamed about this moment ever since he'd discovered that Kurama actually hadn't died twenty years ago.

But this was nothing like he'd expected it to be. Despite enduring hours of torture at Ani's sadistic hands, Kurama had given them no information of use. Perhaps Dr. Ichigaki might have had more effective methods (and certainly cleaner ones) but he'd said he had something to look into. No doubt Yomi would find out what that was soon enough.

The younger Toguro brother had also left, shortly after the torture began. Yomi suspected that he didn't have the stomach for it.

Yomi slid his hand over Kurama's face. His cheeks were wet, with blood or tears, Yomi wasn't sure. He brought his fingers to his lips. Definitely tears.

He'd been told that this body Kurama had stolen had red hair and green eyes. What a strange combination. Yomi had difficulty picturing it. When he thought of Kurama, he still thought of white hair and piercing golden eyes.

And those ears… Yomi ran his fingers through Kurama's hair, noting their absence. Human. This Kurama was entirely unmodified, except for a few drops of spirit energy that had attached itself to his soul.

"The twins are gone."

Otto Toguro's deep voice came from behind him. Yomi had been so focused on Kurama that he hadn't even heard the door open. He turned to face the other man.

"Yukina too?" he asked, feeling a flash of annoyance. The little ice girl had provided them with a steady stream of cash. She was arguably even more useful than her brother.

"Yes."

Well, that was quite a problem. Had Kurama just been a distraction so that Hiei could get his sister? How had Hiei even known Yukina was still alive? They'd been so careful…

Had the fox planned it this way, or had Hiei used him as an unwitting pawn? Yomi strongly suspected that the former was the truth. He couldn't picture anyone using Kurama in that way. He was too smart for that.

"What are you going to do with him?"

Yomi knew that Otto was referring to Kurama. "I'm not sure yet," he admitted.

"I hope he was worth it."

The sound of the door closing followed Otto's last words, leaving Yomi alone with the sleeping fox. Yomi turned back towards him.

"Would things have been different if you'd bothered to listen to my plan in it's entirety?" he asked. That was a question that had been haunting him for years. "I would have saved you. I loved you. But I know now that you never felt the same. You only cared about yourself."

It was too late now. Far too late. Because everything had gone so wrong. All because Kurama had refused to listen. Had dismissed his idea so casually and coldly, before he'd even been able to fully explain it. He might have been able to save both of them.

But now, both of them were damned. Kurama was far too dangerous to keep alive. If his talents couldn't be put to use by the Syndicate, then the best he could hope for was a quick death.

Though Ichigaki would probably want to play with him first. Yomi suppressed a shudder. He'd mostly forgotten his own experiences with the Syndicate's medical personnel but he'd seen what they'd done to the newer subjects. If he could spare Kurama that, he would.

If only because they had once been partners.

-0-

Kurama's eyelids fluttered open. His vision was filled with bright white light. He closed his eyes again.

He was cold. Something hard was wrapped around his wrists and ankles. He was certain that he was not laying on a bed. It felt more like a metal table. His mouth felt like it was full of cotton wool.

Voices floated to his ears. One of them sounded familiar.

"We should kill him."

"No. I told you, we can't afford to waste a fully-trained asset. Especially now that we've lost the twins."

"But the military contract will make up for their loss," the familiar voice protested.

"Somewhat."

Kurama heard the sound of metal scraping along metal. It made his ears ache. He could feel his pulse quickening. He was so cold.

"I've been wanting to try this technique for a long time. And this one is a perfect test subject. If it works, we can recover our other agents. Hand me that wire."

"What wire?"

A huff of exasperated air, then Kurama felt something cold pressed to his forehead.

"Don't touch anything."

And then, blinding pain stabbed into Kurama's head. He screamed, but whatever was in his mouth muffled the sound. His body tried to twist and arch but the restraints prevented it. The pain grew until Kurama felt like his head would explode. Just when he thought he couldn't bear it anymore, darkness closed in around him.

And he was falling. Falling into an endless, dark void.

-0-

 _Two years later…_

Hiei slipped into the dark room, ears trained for any sound. But the building was silent, as it should be.

The museum exhibit was due to open tomorrow. The star attraction was a one-of-a-kind artefact, the appearance of which had Yusuke rolling around on the floor with laughter.

It was a small round golden ball with fluttering wings. Yusuke had immediately noticed the resemblance to the Snitch in the Harry Potter books.

"You read actual books?" Hiei had inquired, earning himself a stupefied look from Yusuke. As far as Hiei knew, the only books Yusuke read were manga.

"Of course not," he said. "I watched the movies. Man, I have to see this thing."

"You will have to be quick," Koenma had told him. "I have intelligence that the Syndicate plans to steal this artefact."

Hiei glanced down at the brochure sitting on the table in front of him. "The 'Shooting Star'?" he asked. "That's a strange name. What does it do?"

"It is rumoured to be able to grant one wish, if the wish is made when a star is falling," Koenma explained.

"Then shouldn't it be called 'Falling Star' or something like that?" Yusuke asked, joining Hiei at the table. "Or 'Wishing Star'?"

"It's name doesn't matter. What it does doesn't even matter," Koenma snapped. "What matters is that the Syndicate wants it. And apparently they are sending their top operative after it."

"Who?" Hiei asked curiously.

"I don't know," Koenma admitted. "We couldn't get a name."

"So we don't even know who to look out for," Yusuke grumbled.

"No, but I do know when the theft will happen. They will strike the night before the opening. I want both of you to get this artefact before they do. And find out who this operative is," Koenma told them.

"Wait. I'm going?" Hiei demanded.

"He's going?!" Yusuke said at the same time. His horrified expression matched Hiei's. "I'm not working with him. Not after what he did to Kurama."

Hiei winced at the sound of the redhead's name. It still felt like a knife twisting in his stomach.

Koenma gave both of them a stern look. "This is very important," he said. "Hiei has skills that are necessary for this sort of job."

"I never volunteered for this," Hiei pointed out, his anger rising.

"We helped you save your sister, at great cost," Koenma said. "We've kept both of you safe for two years." He didn't continue but Hiei knew what he left unsaid.

 _"_ _You owe us."_

So their help wasn't free after all. Somehow, Hiei wasn't surprised.

Yusuke looked disgusted. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'd rather work with Kuwabara," he said.

"Kuwabara's not here," Koenma pointed out. "Both of you are."

"This sucks," Yusuke muttered. He left the room, stomping sulkily along the wooden floorboards.

Hiei turned back to Koenma. "You said… the artefact grants a wish," he said.

"Supposedly," Koenma agreed. "But I don't believe it. It seems far-fetched. Perhaps the Syndicate is getting desperate."

You mean, your father is getting desperate, Hiei thought.

"I'll do it," Hiei told him. "I'll do it alone."

Koenma frowned. "You may find yourself outnumbered," he said. "The Syndicate may send more than one operative."

"I don't think so," Hiei said. "This is a theft, not a raid. They will try to be subtle. Too many people increase the chances of discovery. At most, they will send two. I can handle that."

Koenma looked unhappy. "I would prefer Yusuke to be with you," he said stubbornly.

Hiei stared at him, studying his expression. Koenma looked a little guilty. "You don't trust me," he said, feeling insulted.

"It's not that. It's-"

"It is that." Bitterness laced Hiei's voice. "I'll get your stupid artefact and I'll do it on my own."

He turned and strode out of the room.

-0-

Getting past the security guards had been easy. Hiei had used his jagan to hypnotise them into forgetting he was there. That thing was actually pretty useful, now that Hiei knew how to use it.

The artefact's case was situated in the centre of the room, covered by a red velvet drape. Hiei tugged it free.

And blinked in surprise. Inside was not what he had expected to find. Instead of the 'Shooting Star', there was a perfect red rose laying on the black cushion.

"What the hell?" Hiei muttered. Was he too late? Had the thief already struck and vanished like a ghost?

"Looking for this?"

The voice was silky smooth, but somehow familiar. Hiei tensed, his crimson eyes scanning the darkness around him.

Towards the back of the room, a dark figure shifted. Something bright gold sparkled in Hiei's flashlight. The figure appeared to be holding it in one black gloved hand. Their face was shrouded by a dark hood.

"Who are you?" Hiei demanded. He slid his gun free from it's holster. It had been a long time since he'd had to use it but it's weight was familiar and comforting in his hand.

"Catch me and I might tell you." The figure moved. Hiei heard a door shut. Cursing, he charged after the figure. The door led to a staircase. There was only one way to go. Up.

Hiei raced up the stairs. Above him he could hear the thief's footsteps thudding on the metal stairs. Why the hell was he going up? Why wasn't he trying to leave the building? He had what he wanted, didn't he? Why try to bait Hiei?

Hiei paused when he reached the door to the rooftop. It stood ajar, moonlight spilling through the crack. Hiei pushed it open cautiously.

The figure stood illuminated by the light of the full moon. Their dark coat whipped in the breeze. Their fist was clenched. Hiei guessed that the figure was still holding the Star.

Hiei stepped slowly out of the doorway, alert for a trap or attack. He let the door close behind him. He put his back to it, hesitant to move any closer to his adversary.

"I thought that they would send more than one," the figure said. "I am really quite insulted that they think one operative is enough to take me on."

Hiei's grip tightened around his gun. He knew that voice. He was sure he knew that voice. But who…?

"It is enough," he said quietly.

"I think not." And then Hiei was forced to leap aside as something long and whip-like cracked through the air. It missed Hiei by inches, slamming into the door behind him. Hiei gulped when he saw that it had actually cut into the metal of the door, leaving a long gash in the surface.

"You have quick reflexes," the figure said. They sounded almost impressed. "Perhaps this might actually be worth my time after all."

"Bastard!" Hiei raised the gun and fired. In a whirl of black cloth, the figure jumped aside, the bullet whizzing past him into the night.

So, whoever this was was quick, too.

"A gun? Such a crude weapon. Is that the best you can do?" the figure taunted.

With a flick of the figure's wrist, another crack split the air. Hiei was forced to jump into the air as the concrete beneath his feet was split.

Hiei sent several more bullets flying through the air. The figure deftly dodged most of them but was hit in the leg by one.

Hiei was surprised to see the figure stumble. He had actually not had much hope that any of his bullets would hit. But it seemed that he'd gotten lucky.

The figure knelt, their hand pressed to the concrete. "Well done," they said, their voice slightly breathless. "But it is not good enough."

The concrete under Hiei's feet exploded. Something pushed it's way up towards Hiei. All he could see was a gaping maw and rows of needle-sharp teeth. It yawned wide, filling Hiei's vision, greedily seeking it's prey. Instinctively, Hiei sent a jet of flame at the thing. Something grazed his arm. He stumbled backward, his vision consumed by bright orange flames.

Hiei had to step around the flames in order to bring the figure back into his line of sight, as the flames had been blinding him. The figure was now standing. His hood had fallen back, and for a moment, Hiei wondered if he were seeing an illusion.

Irate green eyes flashed at him. Loose red hair tumbled around a very familiar face.

"Minamino," Hiei said, his mouth suddenly very dry.

"No." The voice was cool and angry. "My name is Kurama."

Hiei floundered. "No," he said. "It's Minamino. Minamino Shuichi."

A sneer crossed the thief's handsome face. "Are you insane?" he asked. "I think I know my own name."

"Do you remember me?" Hiei demanded. He took a step closer.

Kurama looked him up and down, his gaze as distant and cold as the stars. "Why would I?" he asked.

"Because we've met before." Hiei could barely keep his voice steady. "What did they do to you?"

"Perhaps you are insane. It does not matter, anyway." Kurama's hand moved again. Hiei wasn't able to completely dodge this time as he was standing just a little too close to Kurama. Something bit painfully into his arm.

Hiei stared down at the red ribbon of blood flowing down his arm in disbelief. Minamino had injured him. He had actually attacked him.

Something wrapped itself around Hiei's neck. It squeezed tightly, cutting off Hiei's air. Hiei choked, his fingers clawing at the cord.

No, not a cord, Hiei thought, his mind going foggy. It was a vine. Because Minamino, no, Kurama, used plants as weapons.

Kurama's soft silky voice brushed Hiei's ear. "Just relax," he said. "It will be over soon."

Tears slid down Hiei's cheeks. He gasped for air. His hands flailed out, trying to grab at Kurama, who was standing very close to him now. Hiei could feel his breath on his wet cheek.

He couldn't do this. He just couldn't. Minamino wouldn't…

Except he was. Glittering emeralds watched Hiei struggle for air. There was no trace of warmth there at all. No kindness.

"My bosses will be very pleased," he said. "They were hoping to get one of Koenma's agents alive for questioning."

So the artefact had never been the goal. Hiei himself, had been Kurama's goal. He was here to steal Hiei, not the Shooting Star. And Hiei had taken the bait like a good little fish. And now he dangled, helpless on Kurama's hook as he reeled him in.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Hiei had dropped his gun sometime during the preceding minutes, but that was okay, because he wasn't sure he had it in him to kill Kurama anymore.

Not while he still wore Minamino's face.

Hiei's fingers found Kurama's hand and wrapped around his fist. It was a silent plea but one Kurama didn't understand. Hiei's knees buckled beneath him. Kurama stepped around behind him and grabbed a fistful of Hiei's hair, holding his head up.

"Look up there," he said. Stars danced in Hiei's vision, far out of reach. "This will be the last time you ever see the stars." His voice was as cold and unforgiving as an arctic wind.

A black darker than the deepest night crept from the corners of Hiei's vision. The stars seemed to grow brighter, as if making a small, last-ditch effort to hold back the darkness. It was futile.

Something brushed against Hiei's knee. His fingers automatically grabbed at it. A small part of him hoped it was his gun but it was wishful thinking. The object he'd picked up was round. It fit comfortably in Hiei's hand.

 _It is rumoured to be able to grant one wish._

 _One wish._

Hiei closed his eyes, thinking of Minamino. Not the Minamino who believed he was Kurama. Not the Minamino who was currently choking him.

Hiei's fingers clenched convulsively around the object he held. His limbs felt heavy.

He thought of the Minamino who had worried over his mother's health. Who had been gracious about a disastrous date. Who had saved him from getting hit by a car.

Who had stared at him with such love and desire. Who had held him and kissed him. Who had helped him change his life.

 _One wish._

Hiei wanted to see him again. Just once more. To say the words he had never been able to say to him. And this time, he would hear them. Just once, Minamino would hear them.

 _I love you._

The stars swirled sickeningly just before Hiei's vision went dark.


	19. Chapter 19

The darkness around Shuichi was absolute. He had no idea of how long he'd been there. All he knew was that he was falling. He couldn't see or hear anything. The only reason that he knew he was falling was the unpleasant dropping sensation in his gut. There was nothing to keep him company except his thoughts.

And then, there was light. It grew out of the darkness beneath him, tendrils reaching up as if to grab hold of him.

Shuichi opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was the wooden beams of a ceiling above him.

The sound of a chair scraping along wooden floorboards made Shuichi turn his head. Beside him, a pretty blue-haired girl leaned forward to stare at him, her face full of concern.

"Oh, thank goodness," she said. 'We were getting worried."

"W-who are you?" Shuichi asked warily. His head felt foggy. 'Where am I?"

"Don't you recognise me?" she asked.

"No." Shuichi was sure that he'd never seen her before. He certainly would have remembered her odd hair colour. And her eyes were unusual, too. They were fuschia in colour. Were they contacts?

The girl frowned. "Are you sure?" she asked.

"Yes. I am very sure." Shuichi started to shift himself, intending to sit up, but a jolt of pain shooting up his leg made him gasp.

"Oh, please don't try to move, Kurama," the girl cried.

Kurama? "My name is not Kurama," Shuichi told her. "It is Shuichi. Minamino Shuichi." He wondered if this girl had mistaken him for someone else.

The girl blinked at him, leaning back to study him. "You really don't remember me?" she asked uncertainly.

"No," Shuichi repeated.

She put her hand to her mouth. "Oh, dear," she said, her voice slightly muffled.

"Where is my mother?" Shuichi asked. "What happened to me? Does she know where I am?"

The girl patted his shoulder comfortingly. "Don't worry about anything," she said, her tone placating. "Everything is going to be fine."

"But…" Shuichi tried to move his leg again but stopped when he felt more pain. "What happened to me?" he asked again. "Did I get hurt?" He couldn't remember being hurt. Actually, he wasn't entirely sure what his last clear memory was. Was it attending a university lecture?

"You were shot in the leg," the girl informed him. Shuichi was stunned. Guns were very uncommon in this country. He was sure that he didn't even know anybody who owned a firearm. Why would someone shoot him? And, more disturbingly, why didn't he remember the incident?

The girl began to pull the covers up, tucking them beneath his chin. Her intent was clear. He was supposed to lay here like a good patient and rest. He couldn't help but scowl. Why wouldn't she answer his questions?

"I'll go and get you something to help with your leg,' she said. She stood up and started for the door. Before she stepped through it, she looked over her shoulder at him, as if making sure that he was still where he was supposed to be. Then she slipped out the door and closed it behind her.

Shuichi stared up at the ceiling as he tried to piece together his jumbled thoughts. He still had no idea where he even was. This just didn't make any sense.

-0-

Hiei opened his eyes to see a wooden ceiling above him. His neck ached. He reached up to touch it, wincing as his fingers encountered a bandage.

"Hiei?"

Hiei slowly turned his head. The last person he expected to see was sitting in the chair beside the bed he lay on. Yusuke tossed the manga he'd been reading towards the wall. Hiei guessed that he'd been aiming for the desk but he missed. The manga landed face-down on the floor, pages splayed. Yusuke scowled at it before turning back to Hiei.

"Hey," he said. "You can sure sleep."

"Where am I?" hiei asked. The last thing he could remember was kneeling on the museum roof, Kurama's vine wrapped around his neck.

"The temple," Yusuke said.

"This isn't my room," Hiei pointed out.

"No. This room is one of the rooms Grandma used to treat injured people," Yusuke said.

That was a surprise to Hiei. He hadn't realised that the old woman was a healer.

"How did I get here?" Hiei asked.

Yusuke frowned. "You were taking too long so I went to see what had happened. I found you unconscious on the roof."

The wary expression on Yusuke's face told Hiei that Yusuke wasn't telling him everything.

And it seemed that Koenma really didn't trust him. He'd sent Yusuke along anyway and hadn't even told Hiei.

"Was there… anyone else there?" he asked.

Yusuke looked away, as if the wall beyond the bed was the most interesting thing he'd ever seen.

"Ah, yeah," he said awkwardly.

Hiei's breathing went shallow as a knot of fear lodged itself in his chest. What had happened to Minamino? Had Yusuke been forced to hurt his friend? Had he been forced to kill him?

"Was it…"

Yusuke pursed his lips, meeting Hiei's gaze. "We have to talk about that," he said. "I have no idea what happened on that roof, but whatever it was majorly fucked Kurama up."

Hiei moved into a sitting position as he wondered what Yusuke meant by that. He noticed that his upper arm was bandaged as well.

"When I got up there I found both you and Kurama unconscious," Yusuke told him. "You were both in a pretty bad way. Your neck was all bruised and Kurama had a bullet wound in his leg."

Hiei winced. He hadn't thought that he'd managed to seriously hurt Kurama. How bad had it really been?

"And there's something else," Yusuke said.

"What else?" Hiei asked. Was Minamino hurt in some other way?

"Your…" Yusuke reached out, two fingers touching Hiei's forehead.

Hiei realised that there was no bandana covering his forehead. He touched his forehead, expecting to feel the folded lid of the jagan eye.

But his skin beneath his fingers was completely smooth.

"It's gone," Yusuke said.

"T-that's impossible," Hiei said. He had always hoped to find a way to remove the evil eye but had always been told that it couldn't be done. How had this happened?

"I brought both of you back here," Yusuke continued.

Ice ran through Hiei's veins. "You brought Kurama back here?" he demanded. "Is he still asleep?"

Kurama had tried to kill him. What would he do to Yusuke? Or Yukina?

"He woke up a few days ago," Yusuke told him. "But something's… weird."

Yes. He didn't remember being Minamino Shuichi. That was definitely weird.

"He doesn't remember being Kurama," Yusuke said.

Hiei blinked stupidly at Yusuke. "What?" he demanded.

"He doesn't remember anything about his life as Kurama. He doesn't remember the Syndicate. He barely remembers me at all. He remembers Kuwabara, but only from their interactions at the university. He doesn't seem to know you. As far as he knows, he's a normal university student. He thinks he's just Shuichi. He thinks that's all he's ever been."

"I don't understand." Hiei's head felt as though it was going to explode. First, Kurama forgot about Minamino, and now Minamino had forgotten Kurama? "Is he still here?"

Yusuke nodded. "But he keeps asking to speak to his mother. We've been trying to stall him, but I don't think we can keep that up much longer."

Hiei pushed the sheets back. He noticed that he was wearing one of his more comfortable sets of clothing. Sweats and a t-shirt that he usually used for working out.

"Hey, hey, what are you doing?" Yusuke demanded, reaching for Hiei.

Hiei swung his legs over the side of the bed. "I'm going to see him," he said.

"Hell, no. I really don't think that's a good idea," Yusuke said, trying to push Hiei back down on the bed.

Hiei resisted, knocking Yusuke's hands aside. "I'm going," he said. "Which room is he in?" Hiei stood and headed for the door.

From behind him, Yusuke sighed. "Two doors down," he said. "But-"

Hiei entered the hall and went to the room Yusuke had indicated. The door was closed. Hiei pushed it open without knocking and stepped inside.

Botan looked up from the magazine she was reading. Her mouth opened but before she could speak, Hiei snapped, "Out."

Botan squeaked and dropped the magazine. She hurried out of the room.

Minamino lay on the bed, his long hair spilling over the pillow in a crimson flare. His eyes were closed and his breathing was even. He was fast asleep.

Hiei approached nervously. Was Yusuke right? Did this man not remember Kurama at all? Or was this a trick? Maybe Kurama was playing them. Waiting until they let their guard down so he could escape.

The chair scraped across the floor as Hiei pulled it closer to the bed and sat down. Minamino's eyes flew open and he turned his face towards Hiei. Hazy green eyes blinked in surprise at him.

"Hello," he said, his voice thick with sleep.

Hiei didn't respond. Minamino continued to stare at him, his confusion growing.

"Are you another patient?" he finally asked.

"Ah, no," Hiei said.

"But… your bandages…" Minamino looked even more confused.

"Do you know me?" Hiei asked him.

Minamino studied him, a frown forming on his face. "I…" He trailed off. "Do we… attend the same university?"

"You don't remember, do you?" Hiei wasn't sure if he was relieved or upset.

"I am sorry. You do seem vaguely familiar, but…" Minamino trailed off again.

Hiei sighed. "Don't worry about it," he said. He stood up and started towards the door.

"Wait!" Minamino called.

Hiei paused and turned towards him.

"Could you ask them to let me call my mother?" Minamino asked. "I am sure that she will be very worried about me."

"I'll ask," Hiei said. He left the room, shutting the door behind him.

"You see?" Yusuke asked. He was leaning on the wall, his arms crossed over his chest. "He doesn't remember anything to do with Kurama. It's almost like he's been brainwashed or something."

Or… reverse brainwashed, Hiei thought. He remembered his fingers wrapping around that round object. What if it had been the Shooting Star? What if, in that moment, a single star had fallen from the heavens? What if the Shooting Star had heard his thoughts? What if it had taken his desire to see Minamino again, and interpreted it as a wish? Then turned it into reality?

"Did you find the Shooting Star?" Hiei asked.

"Yeah. It was exactly where it should have been, in it's display case," Yusuke said.

"That's not…" Hiei shook his head and leaned against the wall across from Yusuke. "Why didn't you heal him?"

"We couldn't," Yusuke told him. "Botan was so tired after healing you that she couldn't heal Kurama's bullet wound. Yukina's still learning and she wasn't confident enough to try it. Bullet wounds aren't like broken bones. You have to get the bullet out first before you can heal it." Yusuke shuddered. "Not a pretty sight," he said.

"I was that badly hurt?" Hiei asked.

"Yeah. Botan says you were poisoned," Yusuke said.

Hiei felt a cold shiver run up his spine. Even if he had been able to kill Kurama, he would probably still have ended up dead himself, if Yusuke hadn't shown up.

Yusuke watched him with a narrow-eyed glare. "I think you have some explaining to do," he said.

At that moment, Yukina came flying down the hallway. She grabbed Hiei in a tight hug.

"Oh, thank goodness," she said happily, burying her face in his shoulder. "I was so worried."

Hiei felt a blush heating his cheeks as he saw a grin spread across Yusuke's face.

"I guess that talk'll have to wait a little while," he said, chuckling. He pushed off from the wall and walked down the hall towards the living room, shoulders slouched and hands shoved into his pockets.

-0-

This time, the meeting was held in the courtyard. The sound of the small waterfall that fed the koi pond behind Hiei was soothing.

Hiei told Yusuke and Genkai exactly what had happened. They were as confused as he was.

"Those bastards," Yusuke said. "I can't believe that they would still try to use Kurama like that, even after everything that happened."

"I assume that they did not want to waste a useful asset," Genkai said.

An asset. That was all Hiei, his sister and Kurama were to those people. Assets. Tools to be used, then discarded.

"But why doesn't he remember Kurama now?" Yusuke asked. "Is this some kind of Jekyll and Hyde thing?"

"No," Genkai said. "I think that the Shooting Star granted Hiei's wish."

"Wish? What wish?" Yusuke asked.

Genkai's sharp eyes moved to Hiei. "You said that you were thinking that you wanted to see Minamino again. Not Kurama. At least, not the Kurama who was before you," she said.

Hiei nodded. She was spot on.

"The Shooting Star made that possible by erasing Kurama, and leaving behind Minamino. I'm guessing that it picked up on your desire to rid yourself of your abilities as well," she said.

"But Minamino doesn't remember me, so what good does that do?" Hiei demanded. He had wanted to tell Minamino that he loved him. But what would that mean now? Minamino didn't even know him. He'd just be creeped out by Hiei's declaration.

"That's the thing about wishes," Genkai said. "They usually don't get granted in the way we expect."

"No kidding," Yusuke said. "I hope Koenma shoves that thing into a dark corner and leaves it there forever. As glad as I am to have Kurama back, I don't like the idea of that thing fucking with his mind."

Hiei definitely didn't like the idea either. "What do we do now?" he asked. "Do we just let Minamino go home?"

"We have to," Genkai said. "We cannot hold him here forever."

"But… the Syndicate," Hiei protested.

"Kuwabara's been watching Ms. Minamino," Yusuke said. "No one is following her. It's almost as though the Syndicate has forgotten about Kurama as well. But we're going to keep an eye on him, even after we let him go home. Just to be sure."

"I want to help," Hiei said. "I can go to the university. I can watch over him there."

Yusuke frowned. "Are you sure that's a good idea?" he asked. "The Syndicate may still be looking for you."

Hiei suspected that Yusuke was still distrustful of him. He couldn't really blame him for feeling that way but it still felt unfair.

"It's been two years," Hiei pointed out. "I don't think I'm very high on their list of priorities, anyway."

Yusuke didn't look convinced. "What about Yukina?" he asked.

Hiei winced. Yukina wouldn't like the idea of Hiei returning to the city. "She'll stay here," he said.

Yusuke snorted. "Good luck convincing her," he said.

-0-

Genkai contacted Shiori and she immediately drove out to the temple to fetch her son.

Minamino believed that he had been kidnapped and held prisoner for the last two years. Genkai had kept the details as vague as possible, to avoid upsetting the pair any more than was necessary.

Shiori did not recognise Hiei, much to his surprise. He had met her twice, after all. But she looked at him with a puzzled expression on her face, as if she was trying to remember something that had happened a long time ago. It seemed that the Shooting Star's sphere of influence extended quite far, indeed.

Hiei couldn't help but think that Minamino (the old Minamino) would have been extremely upset that his mother's mind had been altered by an artefact of mysterious origin.

Minamino returned to his life as a university student. He started taking his classes again and got a part-time job at a nearby bookstore.

Hiei found himself rooming with Kuwabara in an apartment near the university. Hiei had tried to refuse Kuwabara's offer but Kuwabara had pointed out that Hiei's name would not be on the lease, making it more difficult for anyone searching for him to find him.

Hiei often found his thoughts lingering on Minamino as he watched him resume his normal life. The redhead seemed content, even happy. But watching him was torture for Hiei because he couldn't approach him. It was far too risky for both of them.


	20. Chapter 20

Hiei noticed that someone was following him just as he passed the bookstore where Minamino worked part-time. He was on his way home from the dojo where he now worked as a teacher. Hiei considered pretending that he hadn't noticed his shadow, but then decided that he didn't want to lead this person back to his apartment building. So he turned down into the next alley he passed.

He pivoted to face the entrance. A tall, dark figure stepped confidently in, stopping more than an arm's length away from him. The figure was vaguely familiar to Hiei.

Long, dark hair, violet eyes, an aristocratic face. Karasu. Hiei had never personally met the man but he'd seen him from a distance.

"I thought you were shorter," Karasu said. He wore slacks and a button-up shirt beneath a black coat. His smile was charming, in a slimy way.

Hiei scowled at the mention of his former height. "What do you want?" he snapped. His voice was confident, but inside he was very worried. Was Karasu here to take him back to the Syndicate? Had they found Yukina?

"We've been watching you," Karasu said with a sneer. "You skipped out on us. You and that little money-maker sister of yours."

Hiei bristled at the mention of Yukina. "Leave her alone," he hissed.

Karasu's punch caught him by surprise. One second the man was standing still, the next Hiei was sprawled on the ground, his cheek on fire. He choked on a cry of pain.

"What's wrong with you?" Karasu demanded. "I heard you were stronger than this. One punch shouldn't knock you on your ass."

Except, these days, it did. Hiei's body was completely human now. It was no longer as robust as it had been before the incident with the Shooting Star.

Karasu waited for Hiei to get to his feet. He looked disgusted. Clearly he'd been expecting more of a challenge and was disappointed.

"Did you somehow trade your abilities away in order to get your sister back?" Karasu asked. "Was that how you got her out?"

"Why do you care?" Hiei asked.

"Because if your sister did the same, then you're both completely useless," Karasu snapped.

"Good," Hiei muttered. If he could convince Karasu that Yukina was human now as well, then the Syndicate might leave her alone.

"Or you could just be faking." Another punch caught Hiei on the same cheek and he went down again, swearing. Asshole. The urge to get up and use his martial arts skills to teach Karasu a lesson was very tempting, but the thought of his sister kept him from doing it. If this would ensure her safety, then getting the crap kicked out of him by Karasu would be worth it.

"Hey!"

For a moment, Hiei was confused. That didn't sound like Karasu's voice. Karasu whipped around, turning his back to Hiei. That was stupid. Hiei struggled to his feet.

"Leave him alone."

Hiei felt a cold jolt of fear run up his spine. In the entrance to the alleyway stood the last person that Hiei wanted to see there. Minamino Shuichi. Kurama.

He must have just left work. His red hair was pulled into a ponytail and he was wearing clothes similar to Karasu's, though he wasn't wearing a jacket. Over his shoulder was a bag. And his green eyes looked determined.

Karasu laughed. Minamino glared at him.

"Get out of here," Hiei snapped at him. Karasu half-turned to look at him, a smirk on his face.

"Never mind," he said airily. "This isn't worth my time, anyway." He strode past Minamino and out of the alleyway.

Hiei couldn't believe it. Karasu hadn't recognised Minamino at all. Had he just never came into contact with Kurama during his time at the Syndicate? Or had everyone at the Syndicate really forgotten about Kurama?

Cool hands brushed over Hiei's cheek hesitantly. "Are you okay?" Minamino asked. He was standing very close to Hiei, his eyes full of concern.

"Y-yes," Hiei said.

"Was he trying to rob you?" Minamino asked. "You should report it."

"No, it's fine," Hiei said hastily. He turned his face away from Minamino and the redhead let his hand fall away from Hiei's cheek.

"But-"

"I said, it's fine!" Hiei couldn't imagine what would happen if he did report Karasu to the police. No doubt the Syndicate would get involved. They might decide that Hiei was causing them too much trouble and have him eliminated.

Minamino looked hurt and Hiei realised that he'd been very unfair to the redhead. From Minamino's point of view, he'd stepped in to help someone, and Hiei hadn't even thanked him.

"I'm sorry," Hiei apologised. "But I don't want to report it. It's done with. Thanks for your help."

He started forward. Minamino stepped out of his way, a frown on his face.

"Do I know you?" he asked.

Hiei turned around to face him once more. Minamino looked uncertain now, his eyes scrutinising Hiei's face.

Hiei felt a flutter in his chest. Did Minamino remember him?

"Maybe from the bookstore?"

Hiei's hopes plummeted.

"No. The university, perhaps?" A furrow had formed between Minamino's red eyebrows as he thought.

"Probably the university," Hiei said quietly. He'd never been in the bookstore where Minamino worked. A face-to-face meeting would have been almost impossible to avoid there.

"Oh." Minamino's expression cleared. "That's it," he said. Then he laughed softly. "This is quite a coincidence," he said. "Us running into each other like this."

He had no idea. "Yeah," Hiei agreed.

Minamino looked him over again. "You must be shaken up," he said. "Would you at least let me buy you tea?"

Was he serious? Hiei had just almost been mugged, as far as Minamino was concerned, and he wanted to buy him tea?

"Coffee," he said.

"You don't like tea?" Minamino asked. "All right, then. There's a little cafe just down the street. I go there before work."

The words, "I know," almost fell from Hiei's tongue but he bit them back. He wasn't supposed to know that.

"I am Minamino Shuichi, by the way," the redhead said as he walked beside Hiei out of the alleyway. "I work at that bookstore." He pointed towards the shop just down the road.

"I'm Hiei." The words were heavy. What the hell was he doing? He should be keeping his distance from Minamino. What if his presence triggered Minamino's memories of Kurama?

But wouldn't it be easier to watch over him if he didn't have to lurk in the shadows and duck around corners all the time?

Or was he just trying to justify this for his own selfish reasons? Did Minamino really need watching over anymore? The Syndicate hadn't come after him. Karasu hadn't known him.

"Hiei? Is something wrong? Are you sure you're okay?"

Minamino's hand landed softly on his arm. Hiei's steps faltered.

"What?" he asked.

"You look like something is bothering you," Minamino said. "Is your cheek hurting?"

Not as much as it had when Karasu had hit him. "A little," Hiei said, not wanting to admit the real reason for his mood.

"Perhaps we should postpone this?" Minamino suggested reluctantly. "You should put some ice on your cheek." His disappointment was obvious to Hiei.

"Yeah," Hiei agreed, feeling just as disappointed as Minamino.

Minamino did not leave Hiei immediately, though. He walked with Hiei back to his apartment building.

"So, about that coffee…" Minamino said. He seemed determined to nail Hiei down to a time. They stood in the lobby of the building.

"You work at that bookstore, right?" Hiei asked him.

Minamino nodded.

"Then I'll find you there."

Minamino's shoulders relaxed. "All right," he said. "I am there most afternoons. And perhaps I will see you around the university."

"Yeah, and, ah, thanks again."

"I am just glad no one was seriously hurt," Minamino said. He glanced out the glass doors at the darkening sky. "I had better leave," he said. "I need to catch the train."

And he was gone, leaving Hiei alone in the lobby. Hiei didn't think that he'd ever been so happy about getting punched before. He felt as though he should send Karasu a thank you note or something.

Thanks to Karasu's actions, Hiei was getting a second chance with the redhead. Would he, one day, be able to say those three words to Minamino?

-0-

Shuichi sat on the train, staring out the window and thinking about the man he'd met today. Hiei. For some reason, he felt very familiar to Shuichi. And not in a 'just passing by' kind of way. It felt as though he already knew Hiei.

But that wasn't possible.

Though he wanted to know Hiei. He was disappointed that they hadn't been able to talk more. But he supposed it was inconsiderate of him to expect Hiei to be in the mood for… for what? A date? Was that what he'd really been after?

Yes, that was. Well, the ball was in Hiei's court now. Hopefully he really would come into the bookstore and they could go for that coffee. And he would have the chance to figure out why he felt so drawn to that dark-haired man.

-0-

 _Three months later…_

Hiei's fingers threaded through Minamino's hair as he rested his head on Hiei's shoulder. They sat in the back row of the cinema. Hiei was surprised that Minamino could sleep, as the movie was an action film and the sound was quite loud.

The sharp sound of gunfire split the air and Minamino jerked awake, his head lifting from Hiei's shoulder. He blinked around himself as he fought off the fog of sleep.

Hiei laughed at the surprised expression on his companion's face. "I think you've been studying too hard," he informed Minamino.

"I think I am not enjoying this movie very much," Minamino grumbled.

Hiei had to agree. He thought that the plot of the movie was predictable and the action scenes incredibly unrealistic. He wasn't surprised that Minamino was having trouble keeping his eyes open.

"Are you saying you want to leave?" Hiei asked. Truthfully, the idea was appealing to him. He didn't care what they did, as long as they were doing it together.

"We did pay for the tickets…" Minamino said.

"It doesn't matter," Hiei told him. "If you can't stay awake, then you're not getting your money's worth anyway."

Minamino's expression was hopeful. "Would you mind if we left?" he asked. "We could go to my apartment…"

Minamino had recently moved out of his mother's house and was renting an apartment in the same building as Hiei and Kuwabara.

"Okay," Hiei agreed.

The two men left the cinema and walked the two blocks to the apartment complex. Minamino's fingers curled around Hiei's hand as they walked.

"I have been thinking…" Minamino started as they passed under a street light.

"You think too much," Hiei told him.

Minamino gave him a serious and reproachful look. "Stop it," he said. "This is quite difficult for me."

Hiei stopped, forcing Minamino to halt as well. Minamino faced him, frowning.

"What's wrong?" Hiei asked. Anything Minamino found difficult to talk about was cause for worry.

"I… I was thinking that you should move in with me," Minamino said. "It would be more convenient and…"

"Move in together?" Hiei asked, stunned. "But it's only been…"

Minamino looked away. "Three months," he admitted. "But… I really feel as though we have known each other longer. But I understand if you want to wait longer. Please just know that the offer is there. Take as much time as you need to consider it."

"Thanks," Hiei said. Minamino remained quiet as they resumed walking to his apartment.

The apartment was dark when they stepped inside. Minamino flicked on the light to reveal a sea of green. Minamino's apartment was full of plants. Though they were not poisonous. Hiei had checked.

"You know, I don't think you have room for me here," Hiei teased him as Minamino slipped out of his shoes. "You have too many plants."

"Oh, I believe I can squeeze you in here somewhere." Minamino stood, his eyes dancing with mischief. He wrapped his arms around Hiei's waist and pulled him near. His mouth was tantalisingly close to Hiei's. "Perhaps… in my bed?" he suggested.

Hiei kissed him. He felt Minamino's hand slide through his hair, fingers catching in the fabric of the bandana. Hiei still wore it, though it was out of habit now, not necessity.

Hiei parted from Minamino's lips reluctantly but he needed to breathe.

"I love you," Minamino whispered. Hiei felt as though he could drown in the depths of the other man's jade eyes.

"I love you, too," Hiei told him. He kissed him again.

-0-

Shuichi's heart soared at Hiei's admission. He hadn't expected Hiei to say those three words to him though he knew how Hiei felt about him.

Over the last three months, Shuichi had come to realise that Hiei was the sort of person who found it difficult to express his feelings. But somehow, Shuichi had never doubted Hiei's love for him.

"You said something about your bed?" Hiei mumbled against his ear. He nibbled lightly on Shuichi's earlobe, sending his mind into a whirl.

"Did I?" Shuichi asked. He honestly couldn't recall. If only Hiei would stop doing that thing with his tongue, perhaps he could remember…

Hiei pulled back, regarding Shuichi with a slightly exasperated look. "Are you just messing with me?" he demanded.

Shuichi laughed. "No," he said. "I am afraid that you honestly have me rather, ah… flustered right now."

Hiei's crimson eyes seemed to glow with an inner fire. His hands on Shuichi's hips were warm. This felt right to Shuichi. As if he were meant to be here. He had stopped trying to figure out why Hiei felt so familiar to him and decided to just go with it. He knew that they were moving quickly. Perhaps too quickly, but Shuichi didn't want to wait.

Hiei kissed him again. It took them far longer than it should have to navigate their way through Shuichi's jungle and find his bed. But neither man cared as they were far too wrapped up in each other.

END


End file.
